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36. There come people. During the night Abimelech’s forces had come as near to the city as they could without causing alarm. In the early morning, after the gates were open and many of the people had gone out of the walls to their fields, Abimelech’s soldiers began to advance upon the city. Gaal, who was standing watch at the gate, immediately detected them, and excitedly shouted the information to Zebul. We may imagine the latter, in order to gain time for Abimelech, leisurely going out to look, and then replying with deceit and mockery, “You’re unnecessarily excited It is only shadows cast by Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim.” Zebul seems to treat him as if he were still partially suffering from the intoxication of the night before.