And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: nevertheless yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
All Commentaries on Judges 9:5 Go To Judges 9
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Stone where criminals were, perhaps, commonly executed, that he might seem to act with justice, (To stat) or he might slaughter his brethren on the very altar, which had been erected to God by Gedeon, after he had thrown down that of Baal. By doing so, he would seem to vindicate the idol, and gratify the people of Sichem, who were zealous idolaters, ver. 46. Joatham escaped his fury, yet he, also, uses a round number, 70, when he says you have killed 70 men, ver. 18. (Calmet)
Abimelech himself must also be deducted from the number. Thus we say the seventy interpreters, (Menochius) though the Greek interpreters of the Bible are supposed (Haydock) to have been 72. (Menochius)
The history of nations is full of similar instances of cruelty. Ochus, king of Persia, killed his uncle, and 80 or 100 of his sons. Phraartees, son of Herod, king of the Parthians, by a concubine, slew his father and his 30 children. (Justin. x. and xlii.)
The Turkish emperors have shown equal barbarity on many occasions, and they still murder or confine all their brothers. (Serar. q. 6.)
