41 Then Abimelech returned to the city of Arumah. Zebul forced Gaal and his brothers to leave the city of Shechem.
42 The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields to work. Abimelech found out about it.
43 So Abimelech separated his men into three groups. He wanted to attack the people of Shechem by surprise. So he hid his men 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 a place near the gate to Shechem. The other two groups ran out to the people in the fields and killed them.
45 Abimelech and his men fought against the city of Shechem all that day. They captured the city of Shechem and killed its people. Then Abimelech tore down the city and threw salt over the ruins.
46 There were some people who lived at the Tower of Shechem. When they heard what had happened to Shechem, they gathered together in the safest room of the temple of the god El Berith.
47 Abimelech heard that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem had gathered together.