Thebez

Abimelech took the town of Thebez, but a strong tower inside it held every man and woman of the city, and he came “hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.” Then “a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull.” Dying, he told his armourbearer to draw his sword, “that men say not of me, A woman slew him.” Judges 9:56 reads the end as God paying back Abimelech’s wickedness toward his seventy brethren. Years later, 2 Samuel 11:21 recalls the millstone as a warning about going near a wall.

8 verses

Judges

Judges 9:50

Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.

Judges 9:51

But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.

Judges 9:52

And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

Judges 9:53

And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull.

Judges 9:54

Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

Judges 9:55

And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.

Judges 9:56

Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:

2 Samuel

2 Samuel 11:21

Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Brightness, a place some 11 miles north-east of Shechem, on the road to Scythopolis, the modern Tabas. Abimelech led his army against this place, because of its participation in the conspiracy of the men of Shechem; but as he drew near to the strong tower to which its inhabitants had fled for safety, and was about to set fire to it, a woman cast a fragment of millstone at him, and “all to brake his skull” i.e., “altogether brake,” etc. His armourbearer thereupon “thrust him through, and he died” (Judg. 9:50-55).

From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(conspicuous), a place memorable for the death of the brave Abimelech, (Judges 9:50) was known to Eusebius and Jerome, in whose time it was situated "in the district of Neapolis," 13 Roman miles therefrom, on the road to Scythopolis. There it still is, its name --Tubas --hardly changed.