37. But again Gaal said, “Look, there are some people coming down from that place over there by Land’s Navel. And there! I saw someone’s head over by Magician’s Tree.”
38. Zebul said to Gaal, “Why aren’t you bragging now? You said, ‘Who is Abimelech? Why should we obey him?’ You made fun of these men. Now go out and fight them.”
39. So Gaal led the leaders of Shechem out to fight Abimelech.
40. Abimelech and his men chased Gaal and his men. Gaal’s men ran back toward the gate of the city of Shechem, but many were killed before they could get back to the gate.
41. Then Abimelech returned to the city of Arumah. Zebul forced Gaal and his brothers to leave the city of Shechem.
42. The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields to work. Abimelech found out about it.
43. So Abimelech separated his men into three groups. He wanted to attack the people of Shechem by surprise. So he hid his men in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he jumped up and attacked them.