He went to his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone: but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
The men of Shechem must have known about Abimelech’s slaughter of his brothers before they made him king (Judges 9:6). Perhaps Abimelech’s violent behavior enhanced his value in their eyes. "Beth-millo" was the citadel in Shechem, the most heavily fortified part of the town. The writer also called it the tower of Shechem (Judges 9:46; Judges 9:49). It may have been the fortress-temple of Baal-berith (cf. Judges 9:51; Judges 8:33). [Note: G. Ernest Wright, Shechem, the Biography of a Biblical City, pp. 123-28.] 