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Amplified Bible

Judges 9:5

Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah and murdered his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, [in a public execution] on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left alive, because he had hidden himself.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ambition;   Conspiracy;   Fratricide;   Homicide;   Jotham;   Judge;   Ophrah;   Rulers;   Thompson Chain Reference - Family;   Fratricide;   Home;   Jotham;   Murder;   Murderers;   Trouble;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Manasseh, the Tribe of;   Murder;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jotham;   Shechem;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abimelech;   Concubine;   Jotham;   Marriage;   Shechem;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Destroy, Destruction;   Kill, Killing;   Violence;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Jotham;   Ophrah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Baal (2);   Jether;   Ophrah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Brothers;   Jotham;   Judges, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Government;   Israel;   Jerubbaal;   Jotham (1);   Judges (1);   Levi;   Marriage;   Ophrah;   Palestine;   Shalman;   Shechem;   Wisdom;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jotham ;   Ophrah ;   Shechem ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Abimelech;   Jotham;   Ophrah;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Jo'tham;   Oph'rah;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Government of the Hebrews;   Punishments of the Hebrews;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Abimelech;   Jotham;   Ophrah;   Punishments;   Shechem;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Treason;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He went to his father’s house in Ophrah and killed his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, on top of a large stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid.
Hebrew Names Version
He went to his father's house at Ofrat, and killed his brothers the sons of Yerubba`al, being seventy persons, on one stone: but Yotam the youngest son of Yerubba`al was left; for he hid himself.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
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.
English Standard Version
And he went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself.
New Century Version
He went to Ophrah, the hometown of his father, and murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Gideon. He killed them all on one stone. But Gideon's youngest son, Jotham, hid from Abimelech and escaped.
New English Translation
He went to his father's home in Ophrah and murdered his half-brothers, the seventy legitimate sons of Jerub-Baal, on one stone. Only Jotham, Jerub-Baal's youngest son, escaped, because he hid.
New American Standard Bible
Then he went to his father's house in Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he went vnto his fathers house at Ophrah, & 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.
Legacy Standard Bible
En hy het in die huis van sy vader gegaan, in Ofra, en sy broers, die seuns van Jerúbbaäl, sewentig man, op een klip vermoor; maar Jotam, die jongste seun van Jerúbbaäl, het oorgebly, want hy het weggekruip.
Contemporary English Version
Abimelech and his soldiers went to his father's home in Ophrah and brought out Gideon's other sons to a large rock, where they murdered all seventy. Gideon's youngest son Jotham hid from the soldiers, but he was the only one who escaped.
Complete Jewish Bible
He went back to his father's house in ‘Ofrah and killed his brothers the sons of Yeruba‘al, all seventy of them, on a single rock, except for Yotam Yeruba‘al's youngest son, who stayed alive because he hid himself.
Darby Translation
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.
Easy-to-Read Version
Abimelech went to his father's house at Ophrah and murdered his brothers. He killed the 70 sons of his father Gideon. He killed them all at the same time, but Gideon's youngest son hid from Abimelech and escaped. The youngest son's name was Jotham.
George Lamsa Translation
And he went to his fathers house at Ophrah, and slew his brothers, the sons of Nedo-baal, seventy men, upon one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Nedo-baal was left; for he hid himself.
Good News Translation
He went to his father's house at Ophrah, and there on top of a single stone he killed his seventy brothers, Gideon's sons. But Jotham, Gideon's youngest son, hid and was not killed.
Literal Translation
And he went into his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men on one stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, was left; for he had hidden.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he came to his fathers house vnto Aphra, and slew his brethren the children of Ierubaal, euen thre score men and te vpon one stone. But Iotham the yongest sonne of Ierubaal remayned ouer, for he was hydd.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he went vnto his fathers house at Ephrah, and slue his brethren, the sonnes of Ierobaal, beyng threescore & ten persons, vpon one stone: Notwithstandyng, yet Ioatham the youngest sonne of Ierobaal escaped, for he hyd hymselfe.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.
King James Version (1611)
And hee went vnto his fathers house at Ophrah, and slewe his brethren the sonnes of Ierubbaal, being threescore and tenne persons, vpon one stone: notwithstanding, yet Iotham the youngest sonne of Ierubbaal was left; for he hid himselfe.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he went to the house of his father to Ephratha, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerobaal, seventy men upon one stone; but Joatham the youngest son of Jerobaal was left, for he hid himself.
English Revised Version
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he cam in to `the hows of his fadir in Ephra, and killide hise britheren the sones of Gerobaal, `seuenti men, on o stoon. And Joathan, the leste sone of Gerobaal, lefte, and was hid.
Young's Literal Translation
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.
Update Bible Version
And he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and slew 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.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, [being] seventy persons, upon one stone; notwithstanding, yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
World English Bible
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.
New King James Version
Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the seventy sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself.
New Living Translation
He went to his father's home at Ophrah, and there, on one stone, they killed all seventy of his half brothers, the sons of Gideon. But the youngest brother, Jotham, escaped and hid.
New Life Bible
Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah. And he killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal. He killed all seventy men upon one stone. But Jerubbaal's youngest son Jotham was left alive, because he hid himself.
New Revised Standard
He went to his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone; but Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, for he hid himself.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he entered the house of his father, at Ophrah, and slew his brethren, sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, upon one stone, - but there remained Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, for he had hidden himself.
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.
Revised Standard Version
And he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brothers the sons of Jerubba'al, seventy men, upon one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubba'al was left, for he hid himself.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself.

Contextual Overview

1Now Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal (Gideon) went to Shechem to his mother's relatives, and said to them and to the whole clan of the household of his mother's father, 2"Speak now in the hearing of all the leaders of Shechem, 'Which is better for you, that seventy men, all of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one man rule over you?' Also, remember that I am your own bone and flesh." 3So his mother's relatives spoke all these words concerning him so that all the leaders of Shechem could hear; and their hearts were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, "He is our relative." 4And they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and undisciplined men, and they followed (supported) him. 5Then he went to his father's house at Ophrah and murdered his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, [in a public execution] on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left alive, because he had hidden himself.6All the men of Shechem and all of Beth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak (terebinth) of the pillar (memorial stone) at Shechem.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

at Ophrah: Judges 6:24

slew: 2 Kings 10:17, 2 Kings 11:1, 2 Kings 11:2, 2 Chronicles 21:4, Matthew 2:16, Matthew 2:20

Reciprocal: Judges 8:30 - threescore Judges 8:35 - showed Judges 9:18 - are risen 1 Kings 1:12 - the life 1 Kings 11:3 - seven hundred 2 Kings 10:7 - slew seventy 1 Chronicles 5:17 - Jotham 2 Chronicles 13:21 - begat Ecclesiastes 10:8 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 9:1
And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.
Genesis 9:9
"Now behold, I am establishing My covenant (binding agreement, solemn promise) with you and with your descendants after you
Genesis 9:10
and with every living creature that is with you—the birds, the livestock, and the wild animals of the earth along with you, of everything that comes out of the ark—every living creature of the earth.
Genesis 9:28
Noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood.
Genesis 9:29
So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he died.
Exodus 20:13
"You shall not commit murder (unjustified, deliberate homicide).
Exodus 21:12
"Whoever strikes a man so that he dies must be put to death.
Leviticus 19:16
'You shall not go around as a gossip among your people, and you are not to act against the life of your neighbor [with slander or false testimony]; I am the LORD.
Psalms 9:12
For He who avenges blood [unjustly shed] remembers them (His people); He does not forget the cry of the afflicted and abused.
Matthew 23:35
so that on you will come the guilt of all the blood of the righteous shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah [the priest], the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he went to his father's house at Ophrah,.... Which, according to Bunting a, was ten miles from Shechem:

and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, upon one stone: in which he was assisted by the ruffians he had hired with seventy pieces of silver; these were laid one after another upon one and the same stone, as being convenient for the execution of them; or as serving as an altar on which they were sacrificed to Baal, out of whose temple the money was taken to hire the executioners with. They are said to be seventy that were slain, though one escaped, the round number being given, as in many other instances, as in

Genesis 46:27,

notwithstanding, yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; or remained alive, not out of compassion to his youth, but because he could not be found:

for he hid himself; for no doubt Abimelech, and his crew, were most forward to lay hold of the eldest, and sacrifice them first, as being most in his way; this gave Jotham the youngest not only notice of their design, but an opportunity of providing for his safety, or however his friends; for it may be rendered, as in some versions, "he was hidden" b, that is, by others.

a Travels of the Patriarchs, c. p. 111. b נחבא εκρυβη Sept. "absconditus est", V. L. "qui absconditus fuit", Tigurine version so the Targum.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Such wholesale slaughters have always been common in Eastern monarchies, and are among the fruits of polygamy.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 9:5. Slew his brethren — His brothers by the father's side, Judges 8:30. This was a usual way of securing an ill-gotten throne; the person who had no right destroying all those that had right, that he might have no competitors.

Yet Jotham - was left — That is, all the seventy were killed except Jotham, if there were not seventy besides Jotham. All the histories of all the nations of the earth are full of cruelties similar to those of Abimelech: cousins, uncles, brothers, husbands, and fathers have been murdered by their cousins, nephews, brothers, wives, and children, in order that they might have the undisturbed possession of an ill-gotten throne. Europe, Asia, and Africa, can witness all this. Even now, some of these horribly obtained governments exist.


 
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