Judges 9:6

6 And all the men of Shechem, and all the families of the city of Millo, were gathered together, and they went, and made Abimelech king, beside the oak that stood in Shechem.

Judges 9:6 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:6

And all the men of Shechem gathered together
Upon the return of Abimelech, after he with his banditti had committed the execrable murder of his brethren:

and all the house of Millo;
which was either the men of a place near to Shechem, or of his brother's family, or of some grand leading family in Shechem; or it may mean the town hall, where the principal inhabitants met in full house, as Millo signifies, on this occasion:

and went and made Abimelech king;
which was a most bold and daring action; being done without asking counsel of God, without which no king was to be set over Israel, and by a single city, without the knowledge, advice, and consent of the body of the people of Israel: by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem; the place where they met together, and did this business in voting Abimelech to be king, was near a place where a pillar was set in Shechem; or by the oak of the pillar in Shechem, and so may mean the stone under an oak, which Joshua placed there as a testimony between God and the people, ( Joshua 24:25-27 ) and here, in the same place where Joshua convened the people of Israel, and made his last speech to them, was this business done.

Judges 9:6 In-Context

4 And they gave to him seventy pieces of silver (out) of the temple of Baalberith; and he hired to him thereof men poor and having no certain dwelling (and with it he hired men to join him who were poor, and who had no certain dwelling), and they followed him.

5 And he came into the house of his father in Ophrah, and killed his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. And Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, was left, and hid. (And he came to his father's house in Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, was left alive, for he had hid himself.)

6 And all the men of Shechem, and all the families of the city of Millo, were gathered together, and they went, and made Abimelech king, beside the oak that stood in Shechem.

7 And when this thing was told to Jotham, he went, and stood in the top of the hill Gerizim (and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim), and cried (out) with (a) voice raised [up], and said, Ye men of Shechem, hear me, so that God (may) hear you.

8 Trees went to anoint a king on them (The trees went to anoint a king over themselves); and they said to the olive tree, Command thou to us.