Judges 9:53

53 and a woman cast the upper stone of a handmill on Abimelech's head, and crushed his skull.

Judges 9:53 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:53

And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone
Of the upper millstone, as the word signifies, which is observed by Jarchi and other Jewish commentators; this with other stones being carried up to the top of the tower, to do what execution they could with them: and a woman observing Abimelech making up to the door of the tower, took up this piece of millstone, and threw it down

upon Abimelech's head, and all to break his skull;
she did it with that view, though it may as well be rendered, or "she", or "it broke his skull" ^F18; it made a fracture in it, which was mortal. Abendana observes, and so others, that that was measure for measure, a righteous retaliation, that as he had slain seventy of his brethren on one stone, he should die by means of a stone.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 (wtlglg ta Urtw) "et confregit cranium ejus", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so Tigurine version.

Judges 9:53 In-Context

51 But there was a strong tower in the midst of the city, and thither fled all the men and women, all the citizens of the city; and they shut it behind them, and went up to the roof of the tower.

52 And Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and he drew near to the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire;

53 and a woman cast the upper stone of a handmill on Abimelech's head, and crushed his skull.

54 Then he called hastily to the young man that carried his armour, and said to him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that they say not of me, A woman killed him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they went every man to his place.

Footnotes

• [a]. See Deut. 24.6.