Judges 9:3-13

3 And his mother's brethren 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.

4 And they gave him seventy [pieces] of silver out of the house of Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light persons, who followed him.

5 And he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, [being] seventy persons, upon one stone; notwithstanding, yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.

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

7 And when they told [it] to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice and cried, and said to them, Hearken to me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken to you.

8 The trees went forth [on a time] to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive-tree, Reign thou over us.

9 But the olive-tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, with which by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

10 And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, [and] reign over us.

11 But the fig-tree said to them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

12 Then said the trees to the vine, Come thou, [and] reign over us.

13 And the vine said to them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

Judges 9:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 9

This chapter contains an account of the craft and cruelty of Abimelech, by which he got himself made king of the Shechemites, Jud 9:1-6 of the parable of Jotham, the youngest son of Gideon, concerning the trees, in which he exposes their folly in making Abimelech king, and foretells the ruin of them both, Jud 9:7-21 of the contentions which arose between Abimelech, and the men of Shechem, increased by Gaal the son of Ebed, Jud 9:22-29 who was drawn into a battle with Abimelech, and beaten and forced to fly, Jud 9:30-41 but the quarrel between Abimelech and the men of Shechem ceased not, but still continued, which issued in the entire ruin of the city and the inhabitants of it, Jud 9:42-49 and in the death of Abimelech himself, according to Jotham's curse, Jud 9:50-57.