Bible Figure
Abimelech
one of the judges
Abimelech was a son of Gideon who made himself ruler at Shechem after murdering most of his brothers.
Biography
Judges 9 recounts that Abimelech, Gideon's son by a concubine from Shechem, persuaded his mother's relatives to support his bid for power. With money from the temple of Baal-berith he hired reckless men and killed seventy of his brothers on one stone; only Jotham escaped. The leaders of Shechem then made Abimelech king. Jotham answered with his parable of the trees and pronounced judgment on both Abimelech and Shechem. After three years their alliance collapsed. Abimelech destroyed Shechem, but while attacking Thebez a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head. Mortally wounded, he ordered his armor-bearer to kill him so it would not be said that a woman had killed him.
Biblical Significance
Abimelech's violent career is not presented as a model judgeship but as part of Judges' downward spiral. His end explicitly fulfills Jotham's curse and demonstrates divine judgment on treachery, fratricide, and grasping for kingship.