37. And Ga‛al spoke again and said, “See, people are coming down from the high part of the land, and another company is coming from the Diviners’ Terebinth Tree.”
38. And Zeḇul said to him, “Now where is your mouth with which you said, ‘Who is Aḇimeleḵ, that we should serve him?’ Are not these the people whom you despised? I beg you, go out and fight them now.”
39. So Ga‛al went out, leading the masters of Sheḵem, and fought Aḇimeleḵ.
40. And Aḇimeleḵ pursued him, and he fled from him. And many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate.
41. And Aḇimeleḵ stayed at Arumah, and Zeḇul drove out Ga‛al and his brothers, so that they would not dwell in Sheḵem.
42. And it came to be the next day that the people went out into the field, and they informed Aḇimeleḵ.
43. And he took his people, and divided them into three companies, and laid in wait in the field, and looked and saw the people coming out of the city. And he rose against them and smote them.
44. And Aḇimeleḵ and the company that was with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city. And the other two companies rushed upon all who were in the fields and smote them.
45. And Aḇimeleḵ fought against the city all that day, and captured the city and slew the people who were in it. And he broke down the city and sowed it with salt.
46. And all the masters of the tower of Sheḵem had heard that, and entered the stronghold of the house of Ěl Berith.
47. And it was reported to Aḇimeleḵ that all the masters of the tower of Sheḵem were gathered together.
48. So Aḇimeleḵ went up to Mount Tsalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Aḇimeleḵ took an axe in his hand and cut down a branch from the trees, and took it and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, hurry, do as I have done.”
49. And all the people likewise cut down each one his own branch and followed Aḇimeleḵ, and put them against the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire above them, so that all the men of the tower of Sheḵem died, about a thousand men and women.
50. Aḇimeleḵ then went to Thĕḇĕts, and he encamped against Thĕḇĕts and captured it.
51. However, there was a strong tower in the city, and all the men and women and all the masters of the city fled there and shut themselves in, and went up to the top of the tower.
52. And Aḇimeleḵ came to the tower and fought against it, and approached the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
53. But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on the head of Aḇimeleḵ, and crushed his skull.
54. He then immediately called the young man, his armour-bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” And his young man thrust him through, and he died.