But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull.
Parallel translations
- WEB A certain woman cast an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and broke his skull.
- KJV And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull.
- NKJV But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.
- NASB But a woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull.
- NLT a woman on the roof dropped a millstone that landed on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A woman drops an upper millstone on Abimelech's head and crushes his skull. The tyrant is mortally wounded by an unnamed defender.
Overview
An ordinary woman, using a household grindstone, deals the blow that fells the mighty Abimelech. His careless approach to the wall costs him his life. The humbling of a proud king by a woman's hand displays the LORD's power to bring down the arrogant by the weakest of means.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 2 Sam 11:21Who was the one to strike Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? Was it not a woman who dropped an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you get so close to the wall?’ If so, then you are to say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead as well.’”
- Job 31:3Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity?
- Judg 9:20But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.”
- Jer 49:20Therefore hear the plans that the LORD has drawn up against Edom and the strategies He has devised against the people of Teman: Surely the little ones of the flock will be dragged away; certainly their pasture will be made desolate because of them.
- Jer 50:45Therefore hear the plans that the LORD has drawn up against Babylon and the strategies He has devised against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the little ones of the flock will be dragged away; certainly their pasture will be made desolate because of them.
- 2 Sam 20:21That is not the case. But a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him alone, and I will depart from the city.” “Look,” the woman replied, “his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”
- Judg 9:15But the thornbush replied, ‘If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’
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Christ at the center
Israel's cycle of sin and rescue through flawed deliverers cries out for a Savior who never fails — the true and final Judge and Deliverer who saves his people not for a season but forever.
How Judges 9:53 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.