25. The leaders of Shechem were against Abimelech then. They put men on the hilltops. These men attacked and robbed everyone who went by. Abimelech was told about these attacks.
26. A man named Gaal and his brothers moved into Shechem. He was the son of Ebed. The leaders of Shechem decided to trust and follow Gaal.
27. The people of Shechem went out to the vineyards to pick grapes. They walked on the grapes to make wine. Then they had a feast in the temple of their god. The people ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.
28. Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “We are the men of Shechem. Why should we obey Abimelech? Who does he think he is? Isn’t Abimelech one of Gideon’s sons? Didn’t Abimelech make Zebul his officer? We should not obey Abimelech! We should obey the men of Hamor, Shechem’s father. Why should we obey Abimelech?
29. If you made me commander of these people, I would get rid of Abimelech! I would say to him, ‘Get your army ready and come out to battle!’”
30. Now Zebul was the ruler of Shechem. He heard what Gaal son of Ebed said. And Zebul became very angry.
31. He sent messengers to Abimelech in the city of Arumah. The message said, “Gaal son of Ebed and Gaal’s brothers have come to Shechem. Gaal is turning the city against you!
32. So now you and your men should get up in the night. Then go lie in the fields outside the city.
33. When the sun comes up in the morning, attack the city. Gaal and his men will come out to fight you. Then do what you can to them.”
34. So Abimelech and all his soldiers got up during the night. They went near Shechem and separated into four groups. There they hid.
35. Gaal son of Ebed went out and was standing at the entrance to the city gate. As he was standing there, Abimelech and his soldiers came out of their hiding places.
36. When Gaal saw the soldiers, he said to Zebul, “Look! There are people coming down from the mountains!”But Zebul said, “You are seeing the shadows of the mountains. The shadows just look like people.”
37. But again Gaal said, “Look, there are people coming down from the center of the land. And there is a group coming from the fortune-tellers’ tree!”
38. Zebul said to Gaal, “Where is your 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 men of Shechem out to fight Abimelech.
40. Abimelech and his men chased them. Many of Gaal’s men were killed before they could get back to the city gate.
41. Then Abimelech stayed at Arumah. Zebul forced Gaal and his brothers to leave Shechem.
42. The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields. Abimelech was told about it.
43. So he separated his men into three groups. And he hid them in the fields. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he jumped up and attacked them.
44. Abimelech and his group ran to the entrance gate to the city. The other two groups ran out to the people in the fields and killed them.