Judges 9:14

14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us. ’

Judges 9:14 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:14

Then said all the trees unto the bramble
Perceiving they could not prevail upon any of the useful and fruitful trees to take the government of them, they unite in a request to a bramble, scarce to be called a tree, and however a very barren and fruitless one, yea, hurtful and distressing:

come thou, and reign over us;
this respects Abimelech, and describes him as a mean person, the son of a concubine, as having no goodness in him, not any good qualifications to recommend him to government, but all the reverse, cruel, tyrannical, and oppressive; and this exposes the folly of the Shechemites, and their eagerness to have a king at any rate, though ever so mean and despicable, useless and pernicious.

Judges 9:14 In-Context

12 And the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us. ’

13 But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees? ’

14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us. ’

15 And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon. ’

16 “Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and integrity when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house and have done to him as his deeds deserved—