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.
So he took his soldiers and divided them into three groups, and they hid in the field, waiting. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he and his men attacked and struck them down.
This verse describes Abimelech setting up a military ambush, dividing his forces into three groups to surprise attack people coming out of the city.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Judges, which recounts the period of Israel's history after the conquest of Canaan when God raised up judges to lead the people, Abimelech seized power by killing his 70 brothers and declaring himself king with the support of the people of Shechem. However, after a prophecy by his surviving brother Jotham cursed Abimelech and his supporters, the people of Shechem rebelled against him, leading to conflict. In this verse, Abimelech responds by dividing his forces into three groups to set an ambush and attack the rebels as they emerge from the city.
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