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.
So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon with all his men. He took an ax and cut down a tree branch, put it on his shoulder, and told his followers, 'Hurry and do what you've seen me do, cut branches like I did.'
Abimelech is leading by example, showing his men how to cut branches from trees for what would become a deadly attack on the people hiding in a stronghold.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Judges, Abimelech was a ruthless leader who seized power by killing his 70 brothers and declaring himself king over the city of Shechem, amid the chaotic period of Israel's judges. After inciting rebellion among the Shechemites, he gathered his forces and went to Mount Zalmon to prepare for an attack on their stronghold. This act of cutting down a bough was a tactical move to collect wood for burning the tower where his enemies had fortified themselves.
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