he took his men ¹  and divided them into three units and set an ambush in the field. When he saw the people coming out of the city, ²  he attacked and struck them down. ³ 

The next day the Shechemites ¹  came out to the field. When Abimelech heard about it, ² 

When Joshua dismissed ¹  the people, the Israelites went to their allotted portions of territory, ²  intending to take possession of the land.

After Ehud brought the tribute payment, he dismissed the people who had carried it. ¹ 

So Abimelech and all his men came up ¹  at night and set an ambush outside Shechem – they divided into ²  four units.

The next morning the people got up early and built an altar there. They offered up burnt sacrifices and token of peace. ¹ 

When they took roll call, ¹  they noticed ²  none of the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead were there.

Now, announce to the men, ¹  ‘Whoever is shaking with fear ²  may turn around and leave Mount Gilead.’” ³  Twenty-two thousand men ⁴  went home; ⁵  ten thousand remained.

When the Lord’s messenger finished speaking these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly. ¹ 

Three hundred men lapped; ¹  the rest of the men ²  kneeled to drink water.

If only these men ¹  were under my command, ²  I would get rid of Abimelech!” He challenged Abimelech, ³  “Muster ⁴  your army and come out for battle!” ⁵ 

The priest was happy. He took the ephod, the personal idols, and the carved image and joined the group. ¹ 

The leaders ¹  of all the people from all the tribes of Israel took their places in the assembly of God’s people, which numbered ²  four hundred thousand sword-wielding foot soldiers.

All Israel rose up in unison ¹  and said, “Not one of us will go home! ²  Not one of us will return ³  to his house!

Among this army ¹  were seven hundred specially-trained left-handed soldiers. ²  Each one could sling a stone and hit even the smallest target. ³ 

The Israelite army ¹  took heart ²  and once more arranged their battle lines, in the same place where they had taken their positions the day before.

So the people came to Bethel ¹  and sat there before God until evening, weeping loudly and uncontrollably. ² 

He and all his men ¹  went up on Mount Zalmon. He ²  took an ax ³  in his hand and cut off a tree branch. He put it ⁴  on his shoulder and said to his men, “Quickly, do what you have just seen me do!” ⁵ 

Now the descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the City of Date Palm Trees to Arad in the desert of Judah, ¹  located in the Negev. ²  They went and lived with the people of Judah. ³ 

The people worshiped ¹  the Lord throughout Joshua’s lifetime and as long as the elderly men ²  who outlived him remained alive. These men had witnessed ³  all the great things the Lord had done for Israel. ⁴