שופטים, פרק ט׳, פסוק מ״ח

During a military campaign, Abimelech leads his men to the nearby Mount Zalmon to carry out a planned attack. Taking up axes meant for chopping wood [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ], he cuts down a large, branching bough. These thick branches are so massive that they naturally provide heavy cover and shade around the tree [רלב״ג, מצודת ציון]. Abimelech places the branch on his shoulder and instructs his soldiers to quickly do exactly as they have just seen him do [מצודת דוד].

Through this action, Abimelech displays practical military leadership. Much like his father, he does not merely issue orders from a distance. Instead, he directs his men by setting a clear, personal example on the battlefield [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The purpose behind cutting and carrying these branches is both tactical and cruel. The plan is to gather the numerous branches, pile them around the tower where the enemy forces have barricaded themselves, and set them on fire. The intense heat and thick smoke rising from the flames will then suffocate and kill everyone besieged inside the stronghold [אברבנאל].