His mother's brothers spoke 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.
"At least Gideon had said the right thing about God’s sole sovereignty: ’the LORD will rule over you’ (Judges 8:23). Abimelech, on the other hand, leaves the LORD out of the picture entirely." [Note: McCann, p. 72.] 