Judges 9:1–6

Abimelech Attempts to Become King

9 And Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem, to the relatives of his mother, and he said to them and to the house of his mother’s father, 2 “⌊Speak to⌋a the lords of Shechem, ‘What is better for you, that seventy men all from the sons of Jerub-Baal rule over you, or that one man rules over you?’ Remember that I am your bone and your flesh.” 3 And his mother’s relatives spoke all these words concerning him ⌊to⌋b all the lords of Shechem; and ⌊they supported Abimelech⌋,c for they said, “He is our relative.”d 4 And they gave to him seventy pieces of silver from the templee of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech hired with themf worthless and reckless men, and ⌊they followed him⌋.g 5 And he went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and he killed his brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerub-Baal survived, because he hid himself. 6 All the lords of Shechem and Beth-Millo gathered, and they went and made Abimelech as king, near the oakh of the pillar that is at Shechem.