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.

JUDGES 9:5KJV
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Judges 9:5 (KJV)

What does Judges 9:5 mean?

Judges 9:5 describes how Abimelech went to his father's house in Ophrah and killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal (Gideon), seventy men, on one stone, but the youngest brother, Jotham, escaped because he hid himself. This verse shows Abimelech’s violent attempt to remove any rivals to his power.

Abimelech, one of Gideon's sons, is acting to secure his claim to leadership by killing his own family. The verse sets the scene in Ophrah, the hometown of his father Jerubbaal (another name for Gideon), and highlights the brutality by noting the killings happened “on one stone,” suggesting a methodical execution. Jotham’s escape introduces a surviving witness and future voice against Abimelech’s actions.

The Hebrew behind Judges 9:5

  • "slew" (הָרַג, harag): This word means to kill or slay, and its use here emphasizes the deliberate, violent nature of Abimelech’s actions against his brothers.
  • "upon one stone" (אֶבֶן אֶחָת, even echat): The phrase suggests the executions were carried out in a single place, possibly by beheading or another method, making the act public and systematic rather than chaotic.
  • "hid" (חָבָא, chava): This word means to hide or conceal oneself, showing that Jotham’s survival was not by accident but by intentional action to escape the massacre.

Why Judges 9:5 matters

  • This verse clarifies the extreme lengths Abimelech went to in order to secure power, showing the depth of his ambition and ruthlessness.
  • The mention of Jotham’s escape sets up later events in the chapter, as he becomes a key figure in responding to Abimelech’s actions.
  • The detail of the killings happening “on one stone” underscores the organized and public nature of the violence, highlighting the seriousness of Abimelech’s betrayal against his own family.

Where else these words appear

“Ophrah” Hebrew H6084 · used in 8 verses

  • Joshua 18:23 And Avim, and Parah, and Ophrah,
  • Judges 6:24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
  • Judges 8:32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

“Jerubbaal” Hebrew H3378 · used in 13 verses

  • Judges 6:32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.
  • Judges 9:1 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,
  • Judges 9:24 That the cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come, and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them; and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his brethren.

“Jotham” Hebrew H3147 · used in 24 verses

  • Judges 9:7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.
  • 2 Kings 15:36 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
  • 2 Chronicles 27:1 Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.

“hid” Hebrew H2244 · used in 33 verses

  • Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
  • 1 Samuel 14:11 And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.
  • 2 Chronicles 22:9 And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him,(for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom.