Judges 9:5

9:5 He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and murdered his half-brothers, ¹  the seventy legitimate ²  sons of Jerub-Baal, on one stone. Only Jotham, Jerub-Baal’s youngest son, escaped, ³  because he hid.

Judges 9:53-57

9:53 a woman threw an upper millstone ⁴  down on his ⁵  head and shattered his skull. 9:54 He quickly called to the young man who carried his weapons, ⁶  “Draw your sword and kill me, so they will not say, ⁷  ‘A woman killed him.’” So the young man stabbed him and he died. 9:55 When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they went home. ⁸ 

9:56 God repaid Abimelech for the evil he did to his father by murdering his seventy half-brothers. ⁹  9:57 God also repaid the men of Shechem for their evil deeds. The curse spoken by Jotham son of Jerub-Baal fell ¹⁰  on them.

¹ tn Heb “his brothers.”

² tn The word “legitimate” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification.

³ tn Heb “remained.”

⁴ sn A hand mill consisted of an upper stone and larger lower stone. One would turn the upper stone with a handle to grind the grain, which was placed between the stones. An upper millstone, which was typically about two inches thick and a foot or so in diameter, probably weighed 25-30 pounds (11.4-13.6 kg). See G. F. Moore, Judges (ICC), 268; C. F. Burney, Judges, 288.

⁵ tn Heb “Abimelech’s.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun “his” in the translation in keeping with conventions of English narrative style.

⁷ tn The Hebrew text adds, “and said to him.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

⁸ tn The Hebrew text adds, “concerning me.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

¹⁰ tn Heb “each to his own place.”

¹³ tn Heb “seventy brothers.”

¹⁶ tn Heb “came.”