Arumah was located eight kilometres southwest of Shechem. It is rather odd that Abimelech settled there rather than Shechem. For Shechem “was by far the most significant city in the area, and was the place where Abimelech had first made his bid for power and been made king (vv. 1–6). To withdraw from it temporarily for tactical reasons is understandable, but to settle elsewhere is odd, to say the least, even if his deputy now has firm control there again. It suggests that something still remains to be resolved between Abimelech and the people of Shechem. This tension sets us up for the sequel to the Gaal episode that follows."1
41 And Abimelech lived at Arumah, and Zebul drove out Gaal and his relatives, so that they could not dwell at Shechem.