שופטים, פרק ט׳, פסוק מ״ז

The gathering of the people of Shechem marks the climax of the divine punishment for the murder of Abimelech's seventy brothers. Their assembly indicates that they have left the tower where they were originally staying to gather together inside a different stronghold [ביאור שטיינזלץ, מלבי״ם].

This movement is not a random tactical error but a direct result of providence from God. The people make a disastrous choice by abandoning a sturdy structure built of stone to seek shelter in a stronghold made of wood. This specific decision allows Abimelech to cut down timber and set the wooden structure ablaze with the people trapped inside. Through this fiery destruction, the punishment for their earlier violence is fully realized. It perfectly fulfills the prophetic curse spoken by Jotham, who had warned that fire would eventually emerge from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem [מלבי״ם].