Judges 9:53

53 But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and cracked open 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 middle of the city, and all the men, women, and lords of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up to the roof of the tower.

52 Abimelech came up to the tower and fought against it, and he came near the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire.

53 But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and cracked open his skull.

54 He called quickly to the young man carrying his weapons, and he said to him, "Draw your sword and kill me, so that they will not say of me, 'A woman killed him.'" So the young man stabbed him, and he died.

55 When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, each one went to his home.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "But one woman"