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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Judges 9:1 sn That is, Gideon, and so throughout Judges 9. Gideon was given the name Jerub Baal (meaning “Let Baal fight”) in Judges 6:32.
- Judges 9:1 tn Heb “brothers.”
- Judges 9:1 tn Heb “to all the extended family of the house of the father of his mother.”
- Judges 9:2 tn Heb “Speak into the ears of.”
- Judges 9:2 tn Heb “What good is it to you?”
- Judges 9:2 tn Heb “your bone and your flesh.”
- Judges 9:3 tn Heb “brothers.”
- Judges 9:3 tn Heb “into the ears of.”
- Judges 9:3 tn Heb “and all these words.”
- Judges 9:3 tn Heb “Their heart was inclined after Abimelech.”
- Judges 9:3 tn Heb “our brother.”
- Judges 9:4 tn Heb “empty and reckless.”
- Judges 9:4 tn Heb “and they followed him.”
- Judges 9:5 tn Heb “his brothers.”
- Judges 9:5 tn The word “legitimate” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification.
- Judges 9:5 tn Heb “remained.”
- Judges 9:6 tc The translation assumes that the form in the Hebrew text (מֻצָּב, mutsav) should be מַצֵּבָה (matsevah, “pillar”). The reference is probably to a pagan object of worship (cf. LXX).
Judges 9:1-6
English Standard Version
Abimelech's Conspiracy
9 Now Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to (A)his mother's relatives and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother's family, 2 “Say in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that all (B)seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that (C)I am (D)your bone and your flesh.”
3 And his mother's relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the ears of all the leaders of Shechem, and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, (E)“He is our brother.” 4 And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of (F)Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired (G)worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him. 5 And he went to his father's house at (H)Ophrah (I)and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. 6 And all the leaders of Shechem came together, and all (J)Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
