And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
So Abimelech and all his men got up during the night and divided into four groups to set up an ambush against the city of Shechem.
Abimelech is preparing a surprise night attack on Shechem by positioning his army in four different groups around the city.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Judges, Abimelech, the son of Gideon, had seized power by killing his 70 brothers and becoming ruler over Shechem, but this led to unrest among the people. When the citizens of Shechem rebelled against him, Abimelech gathered his forces and planned a surprise attack at night, dividing them into four companies to ambush the city effectively. This event reflects the ongoing cycle of violence and leadership struggles in ancient Israel during the time of the judges.
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