42 The next day the people of Shechem went out to the fields. When Abimelech was told about it,
43 he separated his men into three groups and hid them 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 the entrance gate to the city. The other two groups ran out to the people in the fields and struck them down.
45 Abimelech and his men fought the city of Shechem all day until they captured it and killed its people. Then he tore it down and threw salt over the ruins.
46 When the leaders who were in the Tower of Shechem heard what had happened to Shechem, they gathered in the safest room of the temple of El Berith.
47 Abimelech heard that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem had gathered there.
48 So he and all his men went up Mount Zalmon, near Shechem. Abimelech took an ax and cut some branches and put them on his shoulders. He said to all those with him, “Hurry! Do what I have done!”