Shofetim 9:1

1 And Avimelech ben Yerubaal went to Shechem unto achei immo, and spoke with them, and with all the mishpakhat bais avi immo, saying,

Shofetim 9:1 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:1

And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, unto
his mother's brethren
It seems that though the mother of Abimelech lived at Shechem, he was taken and brought up in his father's house at Ophrah, where he was when he died; and from hence he came to Shechem, to pay a visit to his uncles there; whether his mother was now living, is not certain:

and communed with them;
about the death of his father, the state of his family, and the government of Israel:

and with all the family of the house of his mother's father;
that descended from his grandfather, the several branches of them, and of the family, the heads of them at least:

saying,
as follows.

Shofetim 9:1 In-Context

1 And Avimelech ben Yerubaal went to Shechem unto achei immo, and spoke with them, and with all the mishpakhat bais avi immo, saying,

2 Speak, now, in the ears of all the ba’alei Shechem, Which is better for you, either that all the Bnei Yerubaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one man reign over you? Remember also that I am your etzem (bone) and your basar (flesh).

3 And the achei immo spoke of him in the ears of all the ba’alei Shechem all these words; and their lev inclined to follow Avimelech; for they said, He is acheinu.

4 And they gave him 70 pieces of kesef out of the bais Baal-brit, wherewith Avimelech hired morally empty and reckless persons, which followed him.

5 And he went unto his bais avi at Ophrah, and slaughtered his brethren the Bnei Yerubaal, being 70 persons, upon one even (stone); notwithstanding yet Yotam the youngest ben Yerubaal escaped; for he hid himself.