Judges 9:1-6

New English Translation

Abimelech Murders His Brothers

9 Now Abimelech son of Jerub Baal^[a] went to Shechem to see his mother’s relatives.^[b] He said to them and to his mother’s entire extended family,^{[c] 2} “Tell^[d] all the leaders of Shechem this: ‘Why would you want^[e] to have seventy men, all Jerub Baal’s sons, ruling over you, when you can have just one ruler? Recall that I am your own flesh and blood.’”^{[f] 3} His mother’s relatives^[g] spoke on his behalf to^[h] all the leaders of Shechem and reported his proposal.^[i] The leaders were drawn to Abimelech;^[j] they said, “He is our close relative.”^{[k] 4} They paid him seventy silver shekels out of the temple of Baal Berith. Abimelech then used the silver to hire some lawless, dangerous^[l] men as his followers.^{[m] 5} He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and murdered his half brothers,^[n] the seventy legitimate^[o] sons of Jerub Baal, on one stone. Only Jotham, Jerub Baal’s youngest son, escaped,^[p] because he hid. ⁶ All the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo assembled and then went and made Abimelech king by the oak near the pillar^[q] in Shechem.