After Abimelech had ruled Israel for three years, God sent a spirit to stir up hostility between Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem, and they rebelled against him. God sent this judgment in order to avenge the brutal murder of Baal-Fighter’s seventy sons and the shedding of their blood. Righteous retribution caught up with both Abimelech, who had instigated the murder of his half brothers, and the citizens of Shechem, who had aided and abetted him. In their uprising against Abimelech, the citizens of Shechem placed bandits on the hilltops to ambush and rob everyone who passed by, and Abimelech heard of their treachery.
One day, a man named Gaal son of Ebed moved with his clan into Shechem, and Gaal won the confidence of the people. After the grape harvest, they trod the grapes and celebrated a festival in the temple of Baal, their god. While they were drinking and feasting, they cursed Abimelech. Gaal son of Ebed rose and said, “Who is this Abimelech? We are the Shechemites now! Why should we serve him? Isn’t he Baal-Fighter’s son, and isn’t the governor of our city Zebul his deputy? Why should we take orders from him; we are descendants of Hamor, Shechem’s founder. Why should we be slaves of Abimelech? If only the people of Shechem were under my command, then I would get rid of him. I would say to Abimelech, ‘Assemble your whole army! We’ll defeat them all!’ ”
Zebul, the governor of the city, was infuriated when he heard of the taunts of Gaal son of Ebed. He secretly sent messengers to Abimelech, saying, “Gaal son of Ebed and his clan have come to Shechem. They’re inciting the entire city against you. Now then, under the cover of darkness, you and your men should come and take up concealed positions in the fields. At sunrise launch your surprise attack and advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out to face you, fight them with all of your might.”
So Abimelech and all his men set out by night and took up concealed positions near Shechem in four groups. Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city just as Abimelech and his soldiers got up from their hiding places.
When Gaal saw them, he said to Zebul, “Look, an army is marching down from the hilltops!”
Zebul replied, “That’s nothing but shadows in the hills; they only look like men.”
Gaal spoke up again: “No, look! I see people coming down the center, and another group from the direction of Oracle Oak.”
Then Zebul said to him, “Where is all your big talk now? Weren’t you the loudmouth who said, ‘Who is Abimelech that he could make us his slaves?’ The men you ridiculed are now coming to fight you! Go ahead—go and fight them!”
So Gaal led the men of Shechem and went out to fight Abimelech. Abimelech chased him, and many Shechemites fell wounded and died before they could retreat to the city gate. Abimelech returned to his headquarters at Arumah, while Zebul drove Gaal and his clan out of Shechem.