Judges 9:4-14

4 And they gave him seventy shekels of silver out of the house of Baalberith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light men who followed him.

5 And coming unto his father’s house at Ophrah, he slew his brethren, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy persons, upon a stone; yet Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, was left, for he hid himself.

6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together with all the house of Millo {Heb. the congregation} 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 unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.

8 The trees went forth to anoint a king over them, and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

9 But the olive tree replied, Should I leave my fatness, which because of me, God and man are honoured, to go and sway over the trees?

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

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

12 Then the trees said unto the vine, Come thou and reign over us.

13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheers God and man, to go and sway over the trees?

14 Then all the trees said unto the bramble, Come thou and reign over us.

Judges 9:4-14 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.