Matthew Poole and continuators on Judges 9:6

6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo , and went and made Abimelech king , by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.

Of a place or person so called; some eminent and potent Family living in Shechem, or near to it, either the Family of Abimelech's Mother, or some other; Or, and all Beth-millo; so Beth is not an House, but a part of the name of the place.

To wit, over all Israel, v. 22. which was a strange Presumption for the inhabitants of one City to undertake; but they had many advantages and encouragements for it; as the eager, and general, and constant inclination of the Israelites to Kingly Government; Abimelech's being the Son of Gideon, to whom, and to his Sons, they offered the Kingdom, Iudg. 8. 22. And though the Father could, and did refuse it for himself; yet they might imagine, that he could not give away his Son's right, conveyed to them by the Israelites, in their offer; the universal defection of the Israelites from God to Baal, whose great Patron and Champion Abimelech pretended to be; the power and prevalency of the Tribe of [illegible: 1 word], in which Shechem was, Ios. 20. 7. whose proud and imperious spirit, manifested Iudg. 8. 1. and 12. 1. would make them readily close with a King of their own Brethren; and Abimelech's getting the start of all others, having the Crown actually put upon his head, and an Army already raised to maintain his Tyranny.

Or, by the Oak of the Pillar, i. e. By the Oak, where Ioshua erected a Pillar as a Witness of the Covenant renewed between God and Israel, Ios. 24. 26. This place they chose, to signify that they still owned God, and their Covenant with him; and did not Worship Baal in opposition to God, but in conjunction with him, or in subordination to him.

Marginal references: Or, by the oak of the pillar. Se[illegible: 1+ letters] Iosh. 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. [illegible: 1+ letters]6.