Gaal

Gaal the son of Ebed appears in a single chapter of Judges as the would-be insurgent who briefly turns Shechem against Abimelech and is then defeated outside the city's gate.

At Shechem

He arrives during a festival and gains the city's trust: "And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers, and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him. And they went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trod [the grapes], and held a festival, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech" (Jud 9:26-27). His public speech turns the festival into a recruitment: "Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn't he the son of Jerubbaal? And Zebul his officer? You⁺ serve the men of Hamor, the father of Shechem! But why should we serve him?" (Jud 9:28). The boast is open: "And if only this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase your army, and come out" (Jud 9:29).

Zebul's Counter-Move

Zebul, the city ruler, hears Gaal and sends word secretly to Abimelech: "his anger was kindled. And he sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, Look, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers are coming to Shechem; and, see, they are inciting the city against you" (Jud 9:30-31). His instructions are simple: lie in wait by night and rush the city in the morning (Jud 9:32-33). Abimelech does so, dividing his force into four companies (Jud 9:34).

The Defeat

Gaal sees the advancing force and is mocked by Zebul into believing it is only shadows: "Look, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains. And Zebul said to him, You see the shadow of the mountains as if they were men" (Jud 9:36). The deception holds long enough that Gaal must go out and fight: "Where now is your mouth, that you said, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? Isn't this the people that you have despised? Go out now, I pray, and fight with them" (Jud 9:38). The battle is short: "And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and there fell many wounded, even to the entrance of the gate" (Jud 9:39-40). The expulsion follows: "Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem" (Jud 9:41). Gaal does not appear again.