Then Abimelech, departing from thence, came to the town of Thebes, which he surrounded and besieged with his army. 51And there was in the midst of the city a high tower, to which both the men and the women were fled together, and all the princes of the city, and having shut and strongly barred the gate, they stood upon the battlements of the tower to defend themselves. 52And Abimelech, coming near the tower, fought stoutly: and, approaching to the gate, endeavoured to set fire to it: 53And behold, a certain woman casting a piece of a millstone from above, dashed it against the head of Abimelech, and broke his skull. 54And he called hastily to his armourbearer, and said to him: Draw thy sword, and kill me: lest it should be said that I was slain by a woman. He did as he was commanded, and slew him. 55And when he was dead all the men of Israel that were with him, returned to their homes. 56And God repaid the evil that Abimelech had done against his father, killing his seventy brethren. 57The Sichemites also were rewarded for what they had done, and the curse of Joatham, the son of Jerobaal, came upon them.