21. And Jotham ran away and fled and went to Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
22. When Abimelech had dominated over Israel three years,
23. then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech
24. that the cruelty done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal and their blood might come to be laid upon Abimelech their brother who slew them and upon the men of Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his brethren.
25. And the men of Shechem set ambushers for him in the top of the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them; and it was told Abimelech.
26. And Gaal, the son of Ebed, came with his brethren and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.
27. And they went out into the fields and gathered their vineyards and trod the grapes and made merry and went into the house of their gods and ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.
28. And Gaal, the son of Ebed, said, Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal? And is not Zebul his deputy? Serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem. For why should we serve him?
29. If these people were under my hand, then I would remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army and come out.
30. And when Zebul, the prince of the city, heard the words of Gaal, the son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.
31. And he sent messengers unto Abimelech astutely, saying, Behold, Gaal, the son of Ebed, and his brethren have come to Shechem; and, behold, they have fortified the city against thee.
32. Now, therefore, rise up by night, thou and the people that are with thee, and put an ambush in the field.
33. And in the morning as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early and set upon the city; and, behold, when he and the people that are with him come out against thee, then thou may do to them as thou shalt find occasion.
34. And Abimelech rose up and all the people that were with him, by night, and they put an ambush against Shechem in four companies.
35. And Gaal, the son of Ebed, went out and stood in the entering of the gate of the city; and Abimelech and all the people that were with him rose up from the ambush.
36. And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold people that come down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said unto him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.
37. And Gaal spoke again and said, See there come people who descend through the middle of the land, and another company comes along by the plain of Meonenim.
38. Then Zebul said unto him, Where is now thy mouth, with which thou didst say, Who is Abimelech that we should serve him? Is not this the people that thou hast despised? Go out now and fight with them.
39. And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem and fought with Abimelech.
40. And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.
41. And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah; and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his brethren that they should not dwell in Shechem.