50 Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and he camped against Thebez and captured it. 51 But there was a strong tower in the center of the city, and all the men and women with all the [a]leaders of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up on the roof of the tower. 52 So Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and approached the entrance of the tower to burn it down with fire. 53 But (A)a woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull. 54 Then (B)he called quickly to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, so that it will not be said of me, ‘A woman killed him.’” So [b]the young man pierced him through, and he died.

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 9:51 Or landowners
  2. Judges 9:54 Lit his

50 Next Abimelek went to Thebez(A) and besieged it and captured it. 51 Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women—all the people of the city—had fled. They had locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof. 52 Abimelek went to the tower and attacked it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire, 53 a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull.(B)

54 Hurriedly he called to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me,(C) so that they can’t say, ‘A woman killed him.’” So his servant ran him through, and he died.

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