Abimelech, warned by his deputy Zebul, left his residence at Arumah and approached the city.
The further suggestion has been made that zebul itself in the sense of "dung" is a term for a heathen deity, cf.
It appears, however, that Rabbinical writings use yom (day-of) zebul for the festival of a heathen deity; and Jastrow connects this usage with the meaning " house " or " temple," so that the meaning " Lord of the False Gods" might be arrived at in a different way.
The names Zebulun, 'Izebel (Jezebel), suggest that Zebul may be an ancient name of a deity; cf.
In a fine bit of realism we are told how Gaal observed the approaching foe and was told by Zebul, "You see the shadow of the hills as men," and as they drew nearer Zebul's ironical remark became a taunt, "Where is now thy mouth ?