Abimelech’s Conspiracy

9 Then Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to ahis mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, 2 “Please speak in the hearing of all the men of Shechem: ‘Which is better for you, that all bseventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and cbone.”

3 And his mother’s brothers spoke all these words concerning him in the hearing of all the men of Shechem; and their heart was inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our dbrother.” 4 So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of eBaal-Berith, with which Abimelech hired fworthless and reckless men; and they followed him. 5 Then he went to his father’s house gat Ophrah and hkilled his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself. 6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, all of Beth Millo, and they went and made Abimelech king beside the terebinth tree at the pillar that was in Shechem.