Judges 9:1-7

Judges 9:1

And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,

Then Abimelech had gone unto his mother’s brethren and began to start scheming about how he would take over as king.  He had come to commune with his uncles.  He was living at Ophrah with his father but now had traveled to see his uncles.  It is not known whether his mother was still alive at this time since only the uncles are mentioned.

Judges 9:2

Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.

Abimelech now reveals his true reason for coming to visit his uncles.  He now places a question before them whether they would rather that the seventy sons of Gideon rule over them or to have one person reign over them and no doubt he was looking to be a king.  Then he throws in a very manipulative statement reminding them that he is their flesh and bone, in other words, he is their relation and not the seventy sons of Gideon.  He probably hinted to them by this statement that they would have many favors coming their way if they agreed to Abimelech’s scheme.

Judges 9:3

And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.

Then once the uncles heard his proposal, they then went to the other men of Shechem and told them that he was their brother by means of being their sister’s son.  They no doubt conned the men they were speaking to who also had agreed with them.  They probably thought that they were going to fight the Israelites and defeat them. The men of Shechem were idolaters and had their own god and temple.

Judges 9:4

And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.

Then the men of Shechem went into the pagan temple of Baal-berith and brought out seventy pieces of silver for Abimelech to hire men to go with him and commit the murder of the seventy sons of Gideon.  The word “vain” means worthless.  The word “light” means “undisciplined or unimportant.”  In Judges 11 we will see how Jephthah rode with “vain” men.  It is the same word used in this verse.  These men could not have been great fighters since they could be bought for only seventy pieces of silver.

Judges 9:5

And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.

They assembled the men and rode from Shechem to Ophrah which was 27 miles (43 km) north.  Once they arrived they began to slaughter the 70 sons of Gideon.  The phrase “upon one stone” may refer to Gideon’s altar which he made out of a rock or it could mean they executed all seventy of them one by one on a stone.  One was able to escape and that was Jotham the youngest of the brethren.  Probably to protect him, the other brothers hid him.  If Abimelech would have counted those corpses, he would have counted only 69 and would have known that one was missing.  Jotham would have a major part to play in the downfall of Abimelech.

Judges 9:6

And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.

Once the deed of killing all the sons of Gideon was completed, then all the men of Shechem gathered with the house of Millo.  It is not sure if the house of Millo was a notable family in Shechem or if it was a rampart which is a fortification or an elevation where a good position for battle could be had.  2 Chronicles 32:5 (KJV)   Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.  Millo is used 10 times in 9 verses in the Old Testament.  The plain of the pillar may point to a certain tree, an oak tree, which has meaning in the idol worship of Baal-berith.  His crowning was no-doubt made in conjunction with their false god and his temple.

Judges 9:7

And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.