KJV ORIGINAL
And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
His mother's relatives spoke to all the men of Shechem about him, sharing all these words. The people's hearts were drawn to follow Abimelech because they said, 'He is our brother.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The writer is showing how Abimelech's maternal relatives convinced the people of Shechem to support him by appealing to their family connection.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs after Gideon's death, when his son Abimelech was seeking power. Abimelech's mother was from Shechem, making him part of their community through his maternal lineage. In ancient times, tribal and family loyalty was extremely important in political decisions, and people often supported leaders who shared their blood or regional ties.
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