Judges 9:7-17

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

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

9 And the olive-tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to wave over the trees?

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

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

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

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

14 Then said all the trees to the thorn-bush, Come thou, reign over us.

15 And the thorn-bush said to the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, come, put confidence in my shadow; but if not, fire shall come out of the thorn-bush and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

16 Now therefore, if ye have dealt truly and sincerely in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and if ye have done to him according to the deserving of his hands;

17 -- for my father fought for you, and endangered his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;

Judges 9:7-17 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit. 'in perfectness:' see Josh. 24.14.