Bible Figure
Woman of Thebez
character in the Hebrew Bible's [[Book of Judges]]
The woman of Thebez was an unnamed woman who mortally wounded Abimelech by dropping an upper millstone from a tower onto his head.
Biography
Judges 9 recounts Abimelech attacking Thebez after his violent rule and conflict with Shechem. The people fled into a strong tower, and Abimelech approached its entrance intending to burn it as he had done at Shechem. A woman on the tower threw an upper millstone onto his head and crushed his skull. To avoid the disgrace of being said to have been killed by a woman, Abimelech ordered his armor-bearer to kill him with a sword.
Biblical Significance
The unnamed woman of Thebez brings Abimelech's brutal career to an ironic end and fulfills Jotham's warning concerning the destructive kingship Abimelech had seized.