שופטים, פרק ט׳, פסוק נ׳

After crushing the rebellion in Shechem, Abimelech's military campaign continues to its next destination. On the surface, his arrival at Thebez is driven by clear military logic. It is a small, unfortified city that had also taken part in the uprising against him, making it an obvious target for retaliation [רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Yet, beneath these tactical decisions lies a deeper layer of Divine providence. The advance on Thebez is not a random act of war, but a deliberate course orchestrated by God to execute true justice. Because Abimelech had previously shed innocent blood, God directs Abimelech's path to this specific town so that he will meet his death there, measure for measure. In doing so, the active presence of Divine justice in the world is fully realized, bringing the earlier curse of Jotham, son of Jerubbaal, to its ultimate fulfillment [אברבנאל].