Judges 9:43-49

Judges 9:43

And he took the people, and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote them.

Abimelech then took those forces that he had with him while he was at Arumah and then divided them into three companies just as his father did against the Midianites.  They laid in wait waiting for the opportunity to wreak vengeance on the people who sided with Gaal.   When the people of the city ventured out into the fields, Abimelech rose up and smote them, killing those who came out of the city.

Judges 9:44

And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward, and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew them.

Once the slaughter outside the gates was completed they then proceeded to go toward the gate of the city.  One company had gone into the city while two companies stayed outside the gate and completed the slaughter of the Shechemites.  By this method none were able to escape the army of Abimelech.

Judges 9:45

And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.

Abimelech had made war with the city for one full day no doubt going house to house to ensure that the traitors were all killed.   Eventually the people left had finally surrendered the city to him because they could not defend against the onslaught.  Then he not only killed the inhabitants, he also proceeded to start tearing down the buildings and destroying all the structures whether they be homes or places of business.  Then Abimelech made a final gesture at Shechem.  He not only killed all the inhabitants and destroyed the city, but he salted the city which meant the destruction was total and it was also a warning to other cities not to go against him.  If he would do that to his own hometown, how devastating would he be to those places he has no connection with.  In 1162 A.D. Emperor Frederic Barbarossa took the city of Milan Italy and sowed it with salt.

Judges 9:46

And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.

The tower of Shechem was not located inside the city of Shechem but was built on the outside to warn of any invaders on the horizon.  There were men stationed within the tower of Shechem and word came to them that Abimelech had completely destroyed the city.  They realized that the tower would not be a place of refuge since it could be attacked with flaming arrows or catapulted rocks, so what they did was they went into the sanctuary of the temple of their false god Baal-berith.  It may have been attached to the actual temple itself and was capable of holding hundreds of people which was the number that was hiding there already.

Judges 9:47

And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.

Then word came to Abimelech that those people who were in the tower of Shechem had now moved to the sanctuary of the temple of Baal-berith.  They probably believed that if Abimelech comes after them, he would not attack the temple where they thought they would be safe.  An important spiritual lesson arises here.  Never think a false god can ever be a place of refuge because they are only statues or idols.  Habakkuk 2:18-19 (KJV)   What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?  {19} Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. 

Judges 9:48

And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done.

Mount Zalmon is thought to be associated with Salmon.  Psalm 68:14 (KJV)   When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon.  It was located near Shechem but the exact location is not known but one thing we do know, is that there were many trees on this mountain.  The trees were shady trees and it must have been a fairly high mountain since it also had snow upon it in the upper parts.  Abimelech went to the mountain and cut down a bough.  A bough is a branch of the tree which is a good sized branch.  The he turned to the people and told them to do the same thing he did and they were not to waste any time in getting it done.

Judges 9:49

And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.