Judges 9:5 · Bible study
Judges 9:5 Commentary: A Stone of Sacrifice and a Hidden Survivor
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Judges 9:5 mention the stone? Explore Abimelech's massacre, Jotham's escape, and God's hidden purposes in a brutal chapter.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Abimelech murders his seventy half-brothers on a single stone to eliminate rivals; Jotham escapes, preserving a voice of judgment.
- Key words: He killed (H2026, qal), violent execution; upon one stone, possibly a sacrificial altar; he hid himself (H2244, niphal), Jotham's survival remains providential.
- Main debate: Whether the stone was an execution tool, a pagan altar, or both; also whether the number seventy is exact or a round number.
- Theological theme: God's sovereignty and preservation of a remnant in the face of human sin and ambition.
- Best use: As a case study in biblical narrative showing that no evil escapes God's notice, and that he raises up witnesses to proclaim justice.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
He went to his father’s house in Ophrah, and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid himself.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself.
KJV King James Version 1769
And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and he goeth into the house of his father at Ophrah, and slayeth his brethren, sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone; and Jotham, youngest son of Jerubbaal, is left, for he was hidden.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And he came to his father's house, to Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy persons upon one stone; but there remained Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal; for he had hid himself.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And he came to his father's house in Ephra, and slew his brethren, the sons of Jerobaal, seventy men, upon one stone: and there remained only Joatham, the youngest son of Jerobaal, who was hidden.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y viniendo á la casa de su padre en Ophra, mató á sus hermanos los hijos de Jerobaal, setenta varones, sobre una piedra: mas quedó Jotham, el más pequeño hijo de Jerobaal, que se escondió.
E vindo à casa de seu pai em Ofra, matou a seus irmãos os filhos de Jerubaal, setenta homens, sobre uma pedra: mas restou Jotão, o menor filho de Jerubaal, que se escondeu.
Il vint dans la maison de son père à Ophra, et il tua ses frères, fils de Jerubbaal, soixante-dix hommes, sur une même pierre. Il n’ échappa que Jotham, le plus jeune fils de Jerubbaal, car il s’ était caché.
Und er kam in seines Vaters Haus gen Ophra und erwürgte seine Brüder, die Kinder Jerubbaals, siebzig Mann, auf einem Stein. Es blieb aber übrig Jotham, der jüngste Sohn Jerubbaals; denn er war versteckt.
En hij kwam in zijns vaders huis te Ofra, en doodde zijn broederen, de zonen van Jerubbaal, zeventig mannen, op een steen; doch Jotham, de jongste zoon van Jerubbaal werd overgelaten, want hij had zich verstoken.
Ed egli venne alla casa di suo padre, a Ofra, e uccise sopra un stessa pietra i suoi fratelli, figliuoli di Ierubbaal, settanta uomini; ma Jotham, figliuolo minore di Ierubbaal, scampò, perché s’era nascosto.
I przyszedł w dom ojca swego do Efra, i pobił bracią swą, syny Jerobaalowe, siedmdziesiąt mężów na jednym kamieniu; tylko został Jotam, syn Jerobaalów, najmniejszy, iż się był skrył.
И пришел он в дом отца своего в Офру и убил братьев своих, семьдесят сынов Иеровааловых, на одном камне. Остался только Иофам, младший сын Иероваалов, потому что скрылся.
他往 俄弗拉 到他父親的 家，將 他弟兄、耶路‧巴力 的眾子 七十 人 都殺 在 一 塊磐石上；只剩下耶路‧巴力 的小 兒子 約坦，因為 他躲藏了。
Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and put his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, to death on the same stone; however, Jotham, the youngest, kept himself safe by going away to a secret place.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Judges 9:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that the detail 'upon one stone' carries sacrificial meaning. The Cambridge Bible notes the stone is used 'as if they were sacrificial victims' (cf. 1 Samuel 14:33). Gill's Exposition adds that the money used to hire the assassins came from the temple of Baal Berith, and the stone may have served as an altar to Baal. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown suggests Abimelech either dashed his brothers against a rock or sacrificed them on a stone altar in revenge for Gideon's destruction of Baal's altar. All three readings point to a ritual, even cultic, execution. The murder of seventy brothers is a round number, sixty-nine were actually killed, since Jotham escaped. Keil and Delitzsch observe that the number seventy is given for completeness, a common ancient convention. The survival of Jotham is universally seen as providential: he will later appear on Mount Gerizim to pronounce judgment (Judges 9:7). God preserves a voice that will call Abimelech and Shechem to account.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Sacrificial/ritual view: Stone linked to Baal worship; money from Baal temple; parallels to pagan sacrifice (1 Samuel 14:33–34).
- Political execution view: Killing rivals was standard practice; stone was a convenient place of execution; no religious motive required.
- Narrative-theological view: The details serve a larger story: the stone underscores the godless nature of Abimelech's reign; Jotham's escape preserves the one who will pronounce judgment.
What is clear: Abimelech killed all but one of his brothers at Ophrah, and Jotham survived by hiding, setting up the later parable and judgment.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'upon one stone' | The stone likely had sacrificial or ritual significance, given the source of Abimelech's funds (Baal temple). | Some see it as a literal stone for beheading or dashing; others as a cultic altar where the victims were offered to Baal. |
| Number of brothers killed | The text says seventy persons were killed; Jotham escaped, so sixty-nine died. | Whether 'seventy' is a round number (including Jotham) or an exact count, and whether two other brothers were unaccounted for (cf. Judges 8:30, 32). |
| Why Jotham escaped | His survival was providential and allowed him to deliver the parable and curse. | Whether his hiding was simply self-preservation or whether God actively concealed him (the Hebrew <em>nechba</em> can be passive or reflexive). |
| Abimelech's culpability | Abimelech deliberately ordered and carried out the massacre to secure the throne. | Whether the Shechemites bear equal guilt for funding the crime, or whether Abimelech alone is answerable. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Abimelech was the son of Gideon (also called Jerubbaal) by a concubine from Shechem (Judges 8:31). This gave him ties to that city, and he exploited them. In Judges 9:1, 4 he used his mother's family to win support, then hired 'vain and reckless fellows' with seventy shekels from the temple of Baal Berith, a pagan god worshipped at Shechem. Abimelech's attack on Ophrah, Gideon's home town, was both a military strike and a rejection of his father's legacy. The stone mentioned in verse 5 may have been a cultic stone sacred to Baal, reinforcing the religious dimension of the coup.
Wholesale slaughter of royal relatives to secure a throne was not unusual in the ancient Near East. Barnes' Notes points to 2 Kings 10:1, 11 and 2 Kings 11:1 as parallels: Jehu killed Ahab's sons, and Athaliah destroyed the royal seed. Polygamy created many potential heirs, and murder was the standard method for eliminating rivals. Jotham's hiding echoes the story of Joash, hidden from Athaliah (2 Kings 11:2). The narrator's inclusion of Jotham's escape signals that God is not absent, even amid brutality, a remnant survives.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Judges 9:5. The differences among English translations (e.g., 'slew' vs. 'murdered', 'seventy persons' vs. 'threescore and ten') are due to translation style, not underlying Hebrew variants. The Masoretic Text is stable for this verse.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this verse has been read as a stark illustration of sin's consequences. Early Jewish exegetes connected the stone to the altar of Baal, highlighting the irony of using temple funds to murder Gideon's sons. Medieval Christian commentators often saw Jotham's escape as a type of the remnant preserved by God, a thread that runs through Scripture. The Geneva Bible (1599) gloss notes simply the fact of the slaughter. Later commentators like Matthew Henry (1710) drew moral lessons about ambition and the fragility of human power. In the 19th century, Keil and Delitzsch treated the passage historically, emphasizing the political and religious dynamics of the period. Modern readers continue to wrestle with the violence, but the consistent thread is that God's hidden hand preserves a witness even in the darkest chapters of Israel's history.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The cost of ambition. Abimelech was willing to destroy his own family to gain power. His actions show that unchecked desire for leadership becomes idolatry. This point invites listeners to examine their own motives for influence or control.
- The God who sees and preserves. Jotham's escape is not luck. The narrator notes it with care: 'but Jotham the youngest son … was left, for he hid himself.' God preserves a witness, as he later saved Joash and ultimately the line of David. In dark moments, the Lord keeps a remnant that will speak truth.
- The stone that judges. The 'one stone' may have been an altar to Baal. Irony: the money that funded the murder came from Baal's temple. What people intend for evil, God uses to expose sin, Abimelech's cruelty will not go unpunished. The same stone that received blood will later witness judgment (cf. Jotham's curse in Judges 9:20).
Five-point outline
- Abimelech's plot: manipulation, bribery, and hired thugs (vv. 1, 4).
- The massacre: seventy sons, one stone, one survivor (v. 5).
- The coronation: Shechem makes Abimelech king (v. 6).
- The remnant: Jotham escapes and speaks (vv. 7, 21).
- The verdict: judgment falls on Abimelech and Shechem (vv. 22, 57).
Illustration hooks
- Family betrayal in news cycles. Stories of siblings fighting over an inheritance mirror Abimelech's ambition. The desire to 'win' can destroy relationships.
- Altars of our own making. The stone may have been a pagan altar. People still make sacrifices to ambition, money, or status, sometimes at great cost to others.
- The hidden witness. Jotham hid and later spoke. A person who felt powerless could be the one God uses to speak truth to power, sometimes years later.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God allow such evil? The story does not explain evil, but it shows that God preserves a survivor who will call for justice.
- Does this mean God appointed Abimelech? No, Abimelech's kingship is not sanctioned by God; it is a human power grab. Jotham's parable shows the folly of choosing a thornbush king.
- Is the number seventy symbolic? Possibly. The text says seventy sons, but one survived, so sixty-nine were killed. The round number emphasizes the size of the slaughter.
Leading a Discussion
This verse records a massacre that shocks modern readers. But the narrator is not simply reporting violence. Details matter: the one stone, the seventy brothers, and the one who hid. As you discuss this passage, consider how the author uses these specifics to show that God is present even when evil seems to win.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What do you notice about the way Abimelech carried out this murder? Read Judges 9:1, 4 for background.
- Observation: The verse mentions 'seventy persons' killed 'on one stone.' Why do you think the writer included these numbers and the stone? What might they emphasize?
- Interpretation: Several commentators connect the stone to pagan sacrifice. In what ways does this detail tie the murder to idolatry? Consider where the money came from (v. 4).
- Interpretation: Jotham is the only survivor. How does his escape fit with other Bible stories where a remnant is preserved (e.g., Joash in 2 Kings 11:2)?
- Application: Abimelech used his connections and money to gain power. What modern forms of manipulation tempt people in leadership?
- Application: If you were in Jotham's position, what would make you hide, and what would eventually give you courage to speak? Read Judges 9:7, 20 for Jotham's response.
- Big question: How does this passage help you trust God when your world seems to be taken over by ruthless people? What hope does the survival of Jotham offer?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Judges 6:24 | Then Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh, and called it “Yahweh is Peace.” To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. |
| Judges 8:30 | Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body, for he had many wives. |
| Judges 9:2 | “Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.” |
| II Kings 10:17 | When he came to Samaria, he struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed them, according to Yahweh’s word which he spoke to Elijah. |
| II Kings 11:1 | Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring. |
| II Kings 11:2 | But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedroom; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. |
| II Chronicles 21:4 | Now when Jehoram had risen up over the kingdom of his father, and had strengthened himself, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and also some of the princes of Israel. |
| Matthew 2:16 | Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws a universal pattern from Abimelech's murders: securing an ill-gotten throne by slaughtering every rightful heir is a cruelty repeated across nations, continents, and centuries, including governments still existing in his own day.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that mass killings of relatives were routine in Eastern royal courts, and he traces this pattern directly to polygamy. In his view, the multiple wives and rival heirs of a king create a permanent environment of intrigue and bloodshed.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that killing Abimelech's brothers "upon one stone" likely imitated sacrificial slaughter, as seen in 1 Samuel 14:33-34, and may have prevented uncontrolled bloodshed. This method also followed an Oriental custom for inaugurating a new reign, though Jotham escaped like Joash in 2 Kings 11:2.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And he went vnto his fathers house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren, the sonnes of Ierubbaal, about seuentie persons vpon one stone: yet Iotham the yongest sonne of Ierubbaal was left: for he hid himselfe.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill links the slaughter to Baal worship: the seventy brothers were killed on a single stone that may have served as an altar, since the hired assassins were paid with silver taken from Baal's temple. He also notes that only Jotham escaped, hidden by others or by providence, while the round number seventy is given despite one survivor.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB draws attention to the brutal Eastern custom where a usurping son massacres all rival heirs to secure the throne. He sees the phrase "upon one stone" as likely referring to a stone altar, with Abimelech sacrificing his brothers in revenge for Gideon's destruction of Baal's altar, a view supported by the Shechemites' involvement.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch highlight the bitter irony: the Shechemites crowned Abimelech king at the very terebinth where Joshua had renewed Israel's covenant with the true God. They also note that Abimelech falsely assumed his seventy brothers shared his lust for power, a cynical claim the Baal-worshipping citizens readily believed.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads Jotham's parable as a political fable elevated by moral indignation. The olive, fig, and vine wisely refuse a kingship that would make them dependent on fickle popular favor, while the thornbush eagerly accepts and threatens destruction. Jotham speaks in popular language because his hearers, deaf to Jehovah, might still hear Elohim.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry points out that Abimelech sought power purely from personal ambition, with no call from God like his father Gideon had and no present need for a deliverer. He manipulated his family connections and used money from a pagan temple to hire worthless followers and murder his own brothers.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley rejects Matthew Henry's claim that the goodness of God's promised land will intensify the punishment of those who perish. He argues that this reasoning fails under predestination: if some are not elected, they never had a genuine offer, and if all the elect are saved, the grant was never free to the others.