51. But inside the city there was a strong tower. All of the people in the city ran to it for safety. All of the men and women went into it. They locked themselves in. They climbed up on the roof of the tower.
52. Abimelech went to the tower and attacked it. He approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire.
53. But a woman dropped a large millstone on him. It broke his head open.
54. He quickly called out to the man who was carrying his armor. He said, "Pull out your sword and kill me. Then people can't say, 'A woman killed him.' " So his servant stuck his sword through him. And Abimelech died.
55. When the people of Israel saw he was dead, they went home.
56. That's how God paid Abimelech back for the evil thing he had done to his father. He had murdered his 70 brothers.