Abimelech (son of Jerubbaal)
아비멜렉 (여룹바알의 아들)
Named at Judges 8:31 as the son whom the concubine who was in Shechem bore. Judges 8:30–31 says, “Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body, for he had many wives. His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.” The Korean Revised Version does not say at 8:31 whose concubine she was or who named him. Judges 9:1–6 says that Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone, but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself, and that all the men of Shechem, with all the house of Millo, made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem; at 9:18 Jotham, speaking of “my father’s house”, calls him “Abimelech, the son of his female servant”; 9:22–23 says that Abimelech was prince over Israel three years, and that God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; 9:39–45 says that Gaal fought with Abimelech, that Abimelech chased him and Gaal fled before him, and that Abimelech took the city, beat it down and sowed it with salt; 9:46–49 says that all the people each cut down his bough, followed Abimelech, put them at the base of the stronghold that the men of the tower of Shechem had entered, and set the stronghold on fire; and 9:50–56 says that Abimelech went to Thebez and came near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire, that a certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and broke his skull, that Abimelech said to the young man, his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me,” that when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they each departed to his place, and that God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father in killing his seventy brothers.
Direct relationships 10
Open in the full graphCollected relationship evidence
Source-backed narrative relations; not independent historical verification. Legacy dates and coordinates are outside this review.
Collection & rightsSource evidence (13)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- 2SA 11:18–25, engwebp
18Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
19and he commanded the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling all the things concerning the war to the king,
20it shall be that, if the king’s wrath arise, and he asks you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Didn’t you know that they would shoot from the wall?
21Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”
22So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.
23The messenger said to David, “The men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field; and we were on them even to the entrance of the gate.
24The shooters shot at your servants from off the wall; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.”
25Then David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.’ Encourage him.”
- JDG 8:29–32, engwebp
29Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and lived in his own house.
30Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body, for he had many wives.
31His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.
32Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
- JDG 9:1–6, engwebp
1Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,
2“Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.”
3His mother’s brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words. Their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, “He is our brother.”
4They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and reckless fellows who followed him.
5He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself.
6All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together with all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem.
- JDG 9:16–21, engwebp
16“Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands
17(for my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;
18and you have risen up against my father’s house today and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother);
19if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house today, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you;
20but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from the house of Millo and devour Abimelech.”
21Jotham ran away and fled, and went to Beer and lived there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
- JDG 9:22–25, engwebp
22Abimelech was prince over Israel three years.
23Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,
24that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother who killed them, and on the men of Shechem who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.
25The men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them; and Abimelech was told about it.
- JDG 9:26–29, engwebp
26Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brothers and went over to Shechem; and the men of Shechem put their trust in him.
27They went out into the field, harvested their vineyards, trod the grapes, celebrated, and went into the house of their god and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.
28Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn’t he the son of Jerubbaal? Isn’t Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem, but why should we serve him?
29I wish that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech.” He said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!”
- JDG 9:30–33, engwebp
30When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the son of Ebed, his anger burned.
31He sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem; and behold, they incite the city against you.
32Now therefore, go up by night, you and the people who are with you, and lie in wait in the field.
33It shall be that in the morning, as soon as the sun is up, you shall rise early and rush on the city. Behold, when he and the people who are with him come out against you, then may you do to them as you shall find occasion.”
- JDG 9:34–41, engwebp
34Abimelech rose up, and all the people who were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
35Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. Abimelech rose up, and the people who were with him, from the ambush.
36When Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, “Behold, people are coming down from the tops of the mountains.” Zebul said to him, “You see the shadows of the mountains as if they were men.”
37Gaal spoke again and said, “Behold, people are coming down by the middle of the land, and one company comes by the way of the oak of Meonenim.”
38Then Zebul said to him, “Now where is your mouth, that you said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Isn’t this the people that you have despised? Please go out now and fight with them.”
39Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
40Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many fell wounded, even to the entrance of the gate.
41Abimelech lived at Arumah; and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
- JDG 9:42–45, engwebp
42On the next day, the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
43He took the people and divided them into three companies, and laid wait in the field; and he looked, and behold, the people came out of the city. So, he rose up against them and struck them.
44Abimelech and the companies that were with him rushed forward and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city; and the two companies rushed on all who were in the field and struck them.
45Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city and killed the people in it. He beat down the city and sowed it with salt.
- JDG 9:46–49, engwebp
46When all the men of the tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered into the stronghold of the house of Elberith.
47Abimelech was told that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
48Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done!”
49All the people likewise each cut down his bough, followed Abimelech, and put them at the base of the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
- JDG 9:50–55, engwebp
50Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
51But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women of the city fled there, and shut themselves in, and went up to the roof of the tower.
52Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and came near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
53A certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and broke his skull.
54Then he called hastily to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, that men not say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ His young man thrust him through, and he died.”
55When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they each departed to his place.
- JDG 9:56–57, engwebp
56Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father in killing his seventy brothers;
57and God repaid all the wickedness of the men of Shechem on their heads; and the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal came on them.
- JDG 10:1–2, engwebp
1After Abimelech, Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, arose to save Israel. He lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.
2He judged Israel twenty-three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir.
AI-assisted, human review pending, 2026-09-26
Machine comparison on 2026-10-07: the wording raised none of the 3 rules against the passages this entry cites. No person has read it.
Unresolved interpretation: Jerubbesheth of 2 Samuel 11:21 and Jerubbaal of Judges
- Judges 6:28–29 has the men of the city inquire and say, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing”, and 6:32 says, “Therefore on that day he named him Jerub-Baal, saying, ‘Let Baal contend against him, because he has broken down his altar.’” The Korean Revised Version reads 그 날에 기드온을 여룹바알이라 하였으니.
Source evidence (1)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- JDG 6:28–32, engwebp
28When the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah was cut down that was by it, and the second bull was offered on the altar that was built.
29They said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” When they inquired and asked, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.”
30Then the men of the city said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, because he has broken down the altar of Baal, and because he has cut down the Asherah that was by it.”
31Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? He who will contend for him, let him be put to death by morning! If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because someone has broken down his altar!”
32Therefore on that day he named him Jerub-Baal, saying, “Let Baal contend against him, because he has broken down his altar.”
- JDG 6:28–32, engwebp
- Judges 9:1 names “Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal”, and 9:50–55 says that Abimelech went to Thebez and took it; there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women of the city fled there; Abimelech came near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire, and a certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and broke his skull; he called hastily to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, that men not say of me, ‘A woman killed him’”, and his young man thrust him through, and he died.
Source evidence (2)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- JDG 9:1–6, engwebp
1Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,
2“Please speak in the ears of all the men of Shechem, ‘Is it better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal, who are seventy persons, rule over you, or that one rule over you?’ Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.”
3His mother’s brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words. Their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, “He is our brother.”
4They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and reckless fellows who followed him.
5He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself.
6All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together with all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem.
- JDG 9:50–55, engwebp
50Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
51But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women of the city fled there, and shut themselves in, and went up to the roof of the tower.
52Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and came near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
53A certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and broke his skull.
54Then he called hastily to the young man, his armor bearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, that men not say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ His young man thrust him through, and he died.”
55When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they each departed to his place.
- JDG 9:1–6, engwebp
- 2 Samuel 11:21 gives, in Joab’s charge to the messenger, the words the king may say if his wrath arises: “Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez?” The Korean Revised Version reads 성에서 where WEB has “from the wall”.
Source evidence (1)
AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.
- 2SA 11:18–25, engwebp
18Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
19and he commanded the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling all the things concerning the war to the king,
20it shall be that, if the king’s wrath arise, and he asks you, ‘Why did you go so near to the city to fight? Didn’t you know that they would shoot from the wall?
21Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”
22So the messenger went, and came and showed David all that Joab had sent him for.
23The messenger said to David, “The men prevailed against us, and came out to us into the field; and we were on them even to the entrance of the gate.
24The shooters shot at your servants from off the wall; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.”
25Then David said to the messenger, “Tell Joab, ‘Don’t let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Make your battle stronger against the city, and overthrow it.’ Encourage him.”
- 2SA 11:18–25, engwebp
Judges 6:32 gives Gideon the name Jerub-Baal (“on that day he named him Jerub-Baal”), and Judges 9:1 calls Abimelech “the son of Jerubbaal”; 2 Samuel 11:21, in Joab’s words, names “Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth”. Both editions read 여룹베셋 / Jerubbesheth at 2 Samuel 11:21 and 여룹바알 / Jerubbaal in Judges. This collection records the Abimelech and the Thebez of Joab’s words under the entries Judges holds, and gives the name of 11:21 an entry of its own; it does not decide whether Jerubbesheth and Jerubbaal are one man.
All 10 relationships: AI-assisted, human review pending
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Gideon — Father of — Abimelech (son of Jerubbaal)
Evidence: Judges 9:1–6, Judges 9:26–29
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Jotham (son of Jerubbaal) — Sibling of — Abimelech (son of Jerubbaal)
Evidence: Judges 9:16–21
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Took part in (8) — Gideon dies in a good old age and is buried in the tomb of Joash his father, Abimelech kills his brothers, seventy persons, on one stone, and the men of Shechem make him king, The evil spirit God sends, and the men of Shechem who deal treacherously with Abimelech, The messengers Zebul the ruler of the city sends to Abimelech craftily, Gaal chased by Abimelech, and driven out by Zebul, Abimelech takes the city, beats it down and sows it with salt, Boughs laid at the stronghold the men of the tower of Shechem had entered, and the stronghold set on fire, The upper millstone a woman casts at Thebez, and the death of Abimelech
A relationship with an event rests on the passages the event cites: each event’s page has them.
Verses tagged with this entry
Names in the World English Bible text that carry this entry’s tag. They are carried over from the tags on the Korean Revised Version, which are matched by name inside chapters that already have collected evidence, and a verse where the English says “he” carries none. All await human review. They are a separate list from the source passages above. An empty list does not mean the entry is absent from the text.
His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.
Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,
His mother’s brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words. Their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, “He is our brother.”
They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and reckless fellows who followed him.
All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together with all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem.
“Now therefore, if you have dealt truly and righteously, in that you have made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him according to the deserving of his hands
and you have risen up against my father’s house today and have slain his sons, seventy persons, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his female servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother);
if you then have dealt truly and righteously with Jerubbaal and with his house today, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you;
but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem and from the house of Millo and devour Abimelech.”
Jotham ran away and fled, and went to Beer and lived there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
Abimelech was prince over Israel three years.
Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech,
that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might come, and that their blood might be laid on Abimelech their brother who killed them, and on the men of Shechem who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers.
The men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the tops of the mountains, and they robbed all who came along that way by them; and Abimelech was told about it.
They went out into the field, harvested their vineyards, trod the grapes, celebrated, and went into the house of their god and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.
Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Isn’t he the son of Jerubbaal? Isn’t Zebul his officer? Serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem, but why should we serve him?
I wish that this people were under my hand! Then I would remove Abimelech.” He said to Abimelech, “Increase your army and come out!”
He sent messengers to Abimelech craftily, saying, “Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem; and behold, they incite the city against you.
Abimelech rose up, and all the people who were with him, by night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.
Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city. Abimelech rose up, and the people who were with him, from the ambush.
Then Zebul said to him, “Now where is your mouth, that you said, ‘Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?’ Isn’t this the people that you have despised? Please go out now and fight with them.”
Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech.
Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many fell wounded, even to the entrance of the gate.
Abimelech lived at Arumah; and Zebul drove out Gaal and his brothers, that they should not dwell in Shechem.
On the next day, the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
Abimelech and the companies that were with him rushed forward and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city; and the two companies rushed on all who were in the field and struck them.
Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city and killed the people in it. He beat down the city and sowed it with salt.
Abimelech was told that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.
Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him; and Abimelech took an ax in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it up, and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done!”
All the people likewise each cut down his bough, followed Abimelech, and put them at the base of the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
Then Abimelech went to Thebez and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it, and came near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
A certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and broke his skull.
When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they each departed to his place.
Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father in killing his seventy brothers;
After Abimelech, Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, arose to save Israel. He lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim.
Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Didn’t a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is also dead.’”
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[Bibliadatum entry report] Entry: Abimelech (son of Jerubbaal) (person-abimelech-jerubbaal) Address: https://bibliadatum.org/en/wiki/person/abimelech-jerubbaal Current wording: Named at Judges 8:31 as the son whom the concubine who was in Shechem bore. Judges 8:30–31 says, “Gideon had seventy sons conceived from his body, for he had many wives. His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.” The Korean Revised Version does not say at 8:31 whose concubine she was or who named him. Judges 9:1–6 says that Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone, but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself, and that all the men of Shechem, with all the house of Millo, made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem; at 9:18 Jotham, speaking of “my father’s house”, calls him “Abimelech, the son of his female servant”; 9:22–23 says that Abimelech was prince over Israel three years, and that God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; 9:39–45 says that Gaal fought with Abimelech, that Abimelech chased him and Gaal fled before him, and that Abimelech took the city, beat it down and sowed it with salt; 9:46–49 says that all the people each cut down his bough, followed Abimelech, put them at the base of the stronghold that the men of the tower of Shechem had entered, and set the stronghold on fire; and 9:50–56 says that Abimelech went to Thebez and came near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire, that a certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and broke his skull, that Abimelech said to the young man, his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me,” that when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they each departed to his place, and that God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did to his father in killing his seventy brothers. Cited evidence: 2SA 11:18–25, engwebp / JDG 8:29–32, engwebp / JDG 9:1–6, engwebp / JDG 9:16–21, engwebp / JDG 9:22–25, engwebp / JDG 9:26–29, engwebp / JDG 9:30–33, engwebp / JDG 9:34–41, engwebp (and 5 more of 13) Review state: ai-assisted / human-review-pending What looks wrong: (not written yet) --- This collection records what the text says and does not settle interpretation. A report about a reading that divides opinion may be registered as an unresolved issue rather than corrected.