Abimelech, son of Gideon
The name Abimelech means “father of the king.” Abimelech is mentioned in 36 verses of the Bible, first in Judges 8:31.
Family of Abimelech
Who was Abimelech?
A son of Gideon (Judg. 9:1), who was proclaimed king after the death of his father (Judg. 8:33-9:6). One of his first acts was to murder his brothers, seventy in number, “on one stone,” at Ophrah. Only one named Jotham escaped. He was an unprincipled, ambitious ruler, often engaged in war with his own subjects. When engaged in reducing the town of Thebez, which had revolted, he was struck mortally on his head by a mill-stone, thrown by the hand of a woman from the wall above. Perceiving that the wound was mortal, he desired his armour-bearer to thrust him through with his sword, that it might not be said he had perished by the hand of a woman (Judg. 9:50-57).
Biography adapted from Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897), public domain, linked via Theographic Bible Metadata.
Key verses about Abimelech
- Judges 8:31
And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son, whose name he called Abimelech.
- Judges 9:1
And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,
- Judges 9:4
And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baal–berith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.
- Judges 9:6
And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.
- Judges 9:29
And would to God this people were under my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech, Increase thine army, and come out.
- Judges 9:53
And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull.
Timeline of Abimelech's life
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1217 BC | Usurpation by Abimelech |
All 36 verses mentioning Abimelech
- Judges 8:31
- Judges 9:1
- Judges 9:3
- Judges 9:4
- Judges 9:6
- Judges 9:16
- Judges 9:18
- Judges 9:19
- Judges 9:20
- Judges 9:21
- Judges 9:22
- Judges 9:23
- Judges 9:24
- Judges 9:25
- Judges 9:27
- Judges 9:28
- Judges 9:29
- Judges 9:31
- Judges 9:34
- Judges 9:35
- Judges 9:38
- Judges 9:39
- Judges 9:40
- Judges 9:41
- Judges 9:42
- Judges 9:44
- Judges 9:45
- Judges 9:47
- Judges 9:48
- Judges 9:49
- Judges 9:50
- Judges 9:52
- Judges 9:53
- Judges 9:55
- Judges 9:56
- Judges 10:1