Juízes 9:5

5 Foi à casa de seu pai em Ofra e matou seus setenta irmãos, filhos de Jerubaal, sobre uma rocha. Mas Jotão, o filho mais novo de Jerubaal, escondeu-se e escapou.

Juízes 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.

Juízes 9:5 In-Context

3 Os irmãos de sua mãe repetiram tudo aos cidadãos de Siquém, e estes se mostraram propensos a seguir Abimeleque, pois disseram: “Ele é nosso irmão”.

4 Deram-lhe setenta peças de prata tiradas do templo de Baal-Berite, as quais Abimeleque usou para contratar alguns desocupados e vadios, que se tornaram seus seguidores.

5 Foi à casa de seu pai em Ofra e matou seus setenta irmãos, filhos de Jerubaal, sobre uma rocha. Mas Jotão, o filho mais novo de Jerubaal, escondeu-se e escapou.

6 Então todos os cidadãos de Siquém e de Bete-Milo reuniram-se ao lado do Carvalho, junto à coluna de Siquém, para coroar Abimeleque rei.

7 Quando Jotão soube disso, subiu ao topo do monte Gerizim e gritou para eles: “Ouçam-me, cidadãos de Siquém, para que Deus os ouça.