Gaal
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H1603
Gaal, the son of Ebed, led a revolt against Abimelech, the ruler of Shechem, but was defeated and driven out of the city.
Gaal son of Ebed was an opportunistic leader who exploited the discontent of the Shechemites against Abimelech's harsh rule to launch an insurrection, recorded in Judges 9:26–41. He publicly challenged Abimelech's authority at a harvest festival and offered himself as an alternative ruler, but was quickly defeated when Abimelech attacked and drove him from Shechem. His brief career illustrates the cycle of violence and betrayal that characterized the period of the judges.