Once again the story seems to slow down as Abimelech prepares his revenge. Twice the name of Abimelech is cited, along with the phrase the men that were with him. The details and dialogue show Abimelech’s determination to carry out his vengeful act, all the while building up suspense.

And Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon: This clause shows how Abimelech reacted to news about the leaders of the tower. So the conjunction And may be rendered “So” (New Revised Standard Version, New American Bible). The key Hebrew verb rendered went up (ʿalah) has a double meaning here, showing not only that Abimelech “ascended” the mountain, but also that he “went to war” (see verse 1.1). Mount Zalmon (meaning “dark one”) is generally thought to be Mount Ebal. There were two mountains that stood on either side of Shechem. Mount Ebal was on the north side. Psalm 68.14 is the only other passage that mentions Mount Zalmon.

He and all the men that were with him is literally “he and all the people who [were] with him.” The irony is strong here, as the Hebrew word for “people” (ʿam) usually referring to Israel is used here. Obviously these are ruffians who joined Abimelech’s cause. See verse 9.32.

And Abimelech took an axe in his hand: While this detail seems to slow down the action, it provides an important link back to other judges’ stories. Like many other heroes in this book (Ehud [verse 3.16], Jael [verse 4.21], Gideon [verse 7.16]), Abimelech uses a common tool, an axe, to defeat his enemies. The axe was one of the first tools invented by man. In biblical times this tool, used for cutting wood, was normally made out of a wooden handle and a stone head. Later the stone head was replaced by a metal one. Virtually all cultures will have a word for this kind of tool. There is a slight textual problem here since the form for axe is plural in Hebrew, leading some to believe it is a double-sided axe. However most versions simply use a singular here. Took renders the same Hebrew verb used in the previous episode (verse 9.43). Hand is a keyword throughout the judges’ stories. The text does not make it clear whether Abimelech picked up the axe and carried it all the way up the mountain, or whether he picked it up near the top of the mountain.

And cut down a bundle of brushwood is literally “and he cut off a branch of a tree.” In English the verb cut down is normally used in the context of cutting down an entire tree, so it is better to use a verb that refers to cutting branches, for example, “cut off” or “chop off.” Revised Standard Version says a bundle of brushwood to reflect the fact that the wood was dry and ready to burn. However, the text does not go into this detail. Good News Translation expresses this clause more accurately by saying “cut a limb off a tree,” and so does Contemporary English Version with “and chopped off a tree branch.” No specific kind of tree is mentioned, so a generic word is needed here.

And took it up and laid it on his shoulder: Abimelech picks up the tree branch and places it on his shoulder. The text implies the branch is too heavy to carry in one hand. Took it up means he raised it. The pronoun it refers to the branch. The Hebrew verb rendered laid means “put” (sim), a verb occurring throughout the stories of Gideon and his son, Abimelech (see, for example, verse 6.19). The use of the Hebrew word for shoulder is part of a play on words, since it is almost identical in sound to the name “Shechem.” This wordplay can be indicated in a footnote if so desired. Some languages will have specific vocabulary for “carrying something on the shoulder,” which can be used here. The detail here builds suspense, as the readers or hearers wait to find out what Abimelech is planning to do with this huge branch. It also shows how strong physically Abimelech is, which may be a foreshadowing of the extraordinary strength of the final judge, Samson.

And he said to the men that were with him: Abimelech addresses his men. He wants them to join him in his act of vengeance. The general verb said may be made more specific by saying “ordered” (New International Version) or “gave orders.” For the men that were with him, see the comments above.

What you have seen me do, make haste to do, as I have done: Abimelech has a plan and so orders his men to each get a branch. The Hebrew may convey a sense of urgency. It reads literally “What you see I have done, hurry, do like me.” Some languages will follow the Hebrew by placing the object What you have seen me do first in this sentence. Others may restructure it, saying “See what I have done. Quickly, do the same thing!” or “Hurry, do what I have done!”

The Hebrew text uses direct speech here, but some languages may prefer indirect speech. For example, Good News Translation says “He told his men to hurry and do the same thing.” However, this greatly diminishes the liveliness of this narration.

A translation model for this verse is:

• So Abimelech called his men together, and they went up Mount Zalmon. When they got there, Abimelech picked up an axe and chopped off a huge tree branch. Then he put it on his shoulder* and ordered his men, “Hurry, do the same as me!”
* The Hebrew word for “shoulder” sounds just like the name Shechem.

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .