Jueces 9:5

5 Fue a la casa de su padre en Ofra y allí, sobre una misma piedra, mató a sus setenta medio hermanos, los hijos de Gedeón.
Pero Jotam, el hermano menor, escapó y se escondió.

Jueces 9:5 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:5

And he went to his father's house at Ophrah
Which, according to Bunting ^F1, 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 ) ( John 20:24 ) ,

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Travels of the Patriarchs p. 111.
F2 (abxn) (ekrubh) Sept. "absconditus est", V. L. "qui absconditus fuit", Tigurine version; so the Targum.

Jueces 9:5 In-Context

3 Entonces los tíos de Abimelec transmitieron ese mensaje a los ciudadanos de Siquem. Y después de escuchar la propuesta, el pueblo de Siquem decidió por Abimelec, porque era pariente de ellos.

4 Le dieron setenta monedas de plata del templo de Baal-berit, las cuales él usó para contratar a unos hombres alborotadores e imprudentes que aceptaron seguirlo.

5 Fue a la casa de su padre en Ofra y allí, sobre una misma piedra, mató a sus setenta medio hermanos, los hijos de Gedeón.
Pero Jotam, el hermano menor, escapó y se escondió.

6 Entonces todos los ciudadanos prominentes de Siquem y de Bet-milo convocaron una reunión bajo el roble que está junto a la columna
de Siquem y proclamaron rey a Abimelec.

7 Parábola de Jotam
Cuando Jotam se enteró, subió a la cima del monte Gerizim y gritó:
«¡Escúchenme, ciudadanos de Siquem!
¡Escúchenme a mí si quieren que Dios los escuche a ustedes!