Judges 9:14
◄  Judges 9:14  ►
New International Version (©2011)
"Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, 'Come and be our king.'

New Living Translation (©2007)
"Then all the trees finally turned to the thornbush and said, 'Come, you be our king!'

English Standard Version (©2001)
Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us.’

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"Finally all the trees said to the bramble, 'You come, reign over us!'

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Finally, all the trees said to the bramble," Come and reign over us."

International Standard Version (©2012)
"So all the trees told the bramble bush, 'Hey you! Come and reign over us!'

NET Bible (©2006)
"So all the trees said to the thornbush, 'You come and be our king!'

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Then all the trees said to the thornbush, 'You come and be our king!'

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come you, and reign over us.

American King James Version
Then said all the trees to the bramble, Come you, and reign over us.

American Standard Version
Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And all the trees said to the bramble: Come thou and reign over us.

Darby Bible Translation
Then all the trees said to the bramble, 'Come you, and reign over us.'

English Revised Version
Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said all the trees to the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

World English Bible
"Then all the trees said to the bramble, 'Come and reign over us.'

Young's Literal Translation
And all the trees say unto the bramble, Come thou, reign over us.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:7-21 There was no occasion for the trees to choose a king, they are all the trees of the Lord which he has planted. Nor was there any occasion for Israel to set a king over them, for the Lord was their King. Those who bear fruit for the public good, are justly respected and honoured by all that are wise, more than those who merely make a figure. All these fruit-trees gave much the same reason for their refusal to be promoted over the trees; or, as the margin reads it, to go up and down for the trees. To rule, involves a man in a great deal both of toil and care. Those who are preferred to public trust and power, must forego all private interests and advantages, for the good of others. And those advanced to honour and dignity, are in great danger of losing their fruitfulness. For which reason, they that desire to do good, are afraid of being too great. Jotham compares Abimelech to the bramble or thistle, a worthless plant, whose end is to be burned. Such a one was Abimelech.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 14. - The bramble. A prickly shrub; in Greek ῤαμνος, Rhamnus, "the southern buckthorn" (Gesenins). The same plant as is mentioned in Psalm 58:9 (thorns, A.V.) as used to make fires with (see note to ver. 7).

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

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 Parallel Commentaries

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Jotham's Parable
…13And the vine said to them, Should I leave my wine, which cheers God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 14Then said all the trees to the bramble, Come you, and reign over us. 15And the bramble said to the trees, If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. …

Judges 9:13 "But the vine answered, 'Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?'
Judges 9:15 "The thornbush said to the trees, 'If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!'