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He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and murdered his half brothers,[a] the seventy legitimate[b] sons of Jerub Baal, on one stone. Only Jotham, Jerub Baal’s youngest son, escaped,[c] because he hid. All the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo assembled and then went and made Abimelech king by the oak near the pillar[d] in Shechem.

Jotham’s Parable

When Jotham heard the news,[e] he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He spoke loudly to the people below,[f] “Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, so that God may listen to you!

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Footnotes

  1. Judges 9:5 tn Heb “his brothers.”
  2. Judges 9:5 tn The word “legitimate” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification.
  3. Judges 9:5 tn Heb “remained.”
  4. 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).
  5. Judges 9:7 tn Heb “And they reported to Jotham.” The subject of the plural verb is indefinite.
  6. Judges 9:7 tn Heb “He lifted his voice and called and said to them.”