Secretly - See the margin. The word is probably the name of a place in “Tormah”; some think the same as “Arumah” (Judges 9:41). …

Secretly. —The Hebrew is betormah, which may mean “to Tormah,” or Arumah, where Abimelech was living ([Reference Judges 9…

And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily
In a secret manner, unknown to Gaal and the men of Shechem; or "crafti…

Abimelech intended to punish the Schechemites for slighting him now, but God punished them for their serving him formerly in the murder of Gideon's…