Discovery BoxJudges 9:5 
Context9:5 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
Context9:53 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5 tn Heb “Abimelech’s.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun “his” in the translation in keeping with conventions of English narrative style.
6 tn The Hebrew text adds, “and said to him.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
7 tn The Hebrew text adds, “concerning me.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
8 tn Heb “each to his own place.”
9 tn Heb “seventy brothers.”
10 tn Heb “came.”
