“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: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.”
And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Gideon, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Gideon was left; for he hid himself — Abimelech executes all 70 sons on a single stone (אֶל־שֶׁמִּי־אָבִיו, el shemi aviu, at the stone). Only Jotham (הַקָּטֹן, hakkaton, the youngest) escapes by hiding. The systematic slaughter is ritualized genocide. The cycle reaches its nadir: the bastard murders legitimate siblings to claim the throne.
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