Shofetim 9:14

14 Then said all the etzim (trees) unto the thornbush, Come thou, and reign over us.

Shofetim 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.

Shofetim 9:14 In-Context

12 Then said the etzim (trees) unto the gefen, Come thou, and reign over us.

13 And the gefen said unto them, Should I leave my tirosh, which cheereth Elohim and anashim, and go to be promoted over the etzim?

14 Then said all the etzim (trees) unto the thornbush, Come thou, and reign over us.

15 And the thornbush said unto the etzim (trees), If b’emes ye anoint me melech over you, then come and take refuge in my tzel (shade): and if not, let eish come out of the thornbush, and devour the cedars of the Levanon.

16 Now therefore, if ye have done b’emes and in good faith, in that ye have made Avimelech melech, and if ye have dealt tovah with Yerubaal [Gid’on] and his bais, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands—