Abimelech ruled with the support of his fellow men from Shechem, until three years into his reign when they turned against him. What followed was a series of battles between Abimelech and the men of Shechem.
Abimelech and his army destroyed the city of Shechem, killing everyone in it. When word reached the people at the tower of Shechem, they fled to safety in the temple of the god Berith, but Abimelech burned down the tower, killing a thousand men and women.
Abimelech was on a rampage. He continued to the city of Thebez and encamped against it. The people of the city fled to a strong tower in the city, shut themselves in, and went up to the top of the tower. They watched in horror as as Abimelech drew near to the door of the tower, ready to set it aflame.
But while those around her panicked, one woman took action. She looked around and saw a millstone lying around. She grabbed it and dropped it down on Abimelech, crushing his skull.
While he lay dying, Abimelech called to his armor bearer, ordering him to draw his sword and kill him lest men say that a woman killed him. So the armor bearer thrust him with a sword, and Abimelech died.
Just as God used the housewife Jael to defeat Sisera, He used an unnamed woman of Thebez to save her city from destruction by Abimelech.
1 Corinthians 1:27 says that God uses the foolish to shame the wise and the weak to shame the strong. He used these two humble women to bring down mighty warriors. He can use us today as well in ways we could never predict. To God be the glory!
Read about the woman of Thebez in the Bible:
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