Shofetim 9:53

53 And a certain woman dropped an upper millstone upon Avimelech’s head, and cracked his gulgolet (skull).

Shofetim 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.

Shofetim 9:53 In-Context

51 But there was a migdal oz within the Ir, and there fled all the anashim and nashim, and all ba’alei haIr, and locked it after them, and got them up to the top of the migdal.

52 And Avimelech came unto the migdal, and fought against it, and drew near unto the petach of the migdal to burn it with eish.

53 And a certain woman dropped an upper millstone upon Avimelech’s head, and cracked his gulgolet (skull).

54 Then he called hastily unto the na’ar his armorbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy cherev, and slay me, that men say not of me, An isha slaughtered him. And his na’ar thrust him through, and he died.

55 And when the Ish Yisroel saw that Avimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.