Judges 9:9

9 quae respondit numquid possum deserere pinguedinem meam qua et dii utuntur et homines et venire ut inter ligna promovear

Judges 9:9 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 9:9

But the olive tree said unto them
In reply to the request of the trees:

should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man;
by "fatness" oil is meant, pressed out of the fruit of the olive tree, and which was much made use of both in the burning of the lamps in the tabernacle, and in many sacrifices, as the meat offerings and others, whereby God was honoured; and it was also made use of in the investiture of the greatest personages with the highest offices among men, as kings, priests, and prophets, as well as eaten with pleasure and delight by all sorts of men, and even by the greatest, and so men are honoured by it:

and go to be promoted over the trees;
desert so useful a station, in which it was planted and fixed, to move to and fro, as the word signifies, and reign over trees; suggesting that it was unreasonable, at least not eligible to a good man to desert a private station in life, to which he was called of God, and in which he acted with honour and usefulness to others, and take upon him a public office, attended with much care and trouble, and with neglect of private affairs, and with the loss of much personal peace and comfort.

Judges 9:9 In-Context

7 quod cum nuntiatum esset Ioatham ivit et stetit in vertice montis Garizim elevataque voce clamavit et dixit audite me viri Sychem ita audiat vos Deus

8 ierunt ligna ut unguerent super se regem dixeruntque olivae impera nobis

9 quae respondit numquid possum deserere pinguedinem meam qua et dii utuntur et homines et venire ut inter ligna promovear

10 dixeruntque ligna ad arborem ficum veni et super nos regnum accipe

11 quae respondit eis numquid possum deserere dulcedinem meam fructusque suavissimos et ire ut inter cetera ligna commovear