³ His mother’s relatives^[a] spoke on his behalf to^[b] all the leaders of Shechem and reported his proposal.^[c] The leaders were drawn to Abimelech;^[d] they said, “He is our close relative.”^{[e] 4} They paid him seventy silver shekels out of the temple of Baal Berith. Abimelech then used the silver to hire some lawless, dangerous^[f] men as his followers.^{[g] 5} He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and murdered his half brothers,^[h] the seventy legitimate^[i] sons of Jerub Baal, on one stone. Only Jotham, Jerub Baal’s youngest son, escaped,^[j] because he hid.