SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:49
Y así todo el pueblo cortó también cada uno su rama, y siguieron a Abimelec, y las pusieron junto a la fortaleza, y prendieron fuego con ellas a la fortaleza; de manera que todos los de la torre de Siquem murieron, como unos mil hombres y mujeres.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 49. And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech , etc.] With their boughs on their shoulders, so that they were men that seemed to be as trees walking: and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them ; upon the men in it, or with them, the boughs of trees; it is probable the hold was made of wood, and so could the more easily be set on fire. Jarchi says it was a wood or forest, where they bent the trees, and divided them round about, and made a fence of them; but they would scarcely have left the tower for such a shelter: so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also ; fire being put to the hold, and they burnt in it; the Vulgate Latin version adds, with fire and smoke; for they being boughs of trees just cut down, with which they set fire to the hold, they would not burn easily and clearly, but make a prodigious smoke, with which many might be suffocated, as others burnt with fire; and it is unaccountable that Josephus should say that faggots of dry wood were taken, and with them fire set to the hold, when the text is so express for it that they were boughs of green trees just cut off: about a thousand men and women ; but the above historian makes them to be many more; he says the men were about 1500, and the rest a great multitude; this literally fulfilled Jotham’s curse.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 30-49 - Abimelech intended to punish the Schechemites for slighting him now but God punished them for their serving him formerly in the murder of Gideon's sons. When God uses men as instruments in his hand to do his work, he means one thing, and they another. That, which they hope would have been for their welfare, proved a snare and a trap, as thos will certainly find, who run to idols for shelter; such will prove refuge of lies. (Jdg 9:50-57)
Original Hebrew
ויכרתו 3772 גם 1571 כל 3605 העם 5971 אישׁ 376 שׂוכה 7754 וילכו 1980 אחרי 310 אבימלך 40 וישׂימו 7760 על 5921 הצריח 6877 ויציתו 3341 עליהם 5921 את 853 הצריח 6877 באשׁ 784 וימתו 4191 גם 1571 כל 3605 אנשׁי 376 מגדל 4026 שׁכם 7927 כאלף 505 אישׁ 376 ואשׁה׃ 802
