Judges 9:1-15 ▼

1 AND Abimeleck the son of Nedo-baal went to Shechem to his mother's brothers, and spoke to them and to all the family of the house of his mother's father, saying,

2 Speak, before all the lords of Shechem, Which is better for you, that all the seventy men, the sons of Nedo-baal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you? Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.

3 And his mother's brothers spoke of him before all the lords of Shechem all these words; and their hearts inclined to follow Abimeleck; for they said, He is our brother.

4 And they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baal-kiama, with which Abimeleck hired vain and wanton persons, who followed him.

5 And he went to his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brothers, the sons of Nedo-baal, seventy men, upon one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Nedo-baal was left; for he hid himself.

6 And all the lords of Shechem gathered together, and all the people of Beth-millo, and went and made Abimeleck king over them, by the oak of Mazpiah which is in Shechem.

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

8 Once upon a time the trees went forth to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, Reign over us.

9 But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fertility, by which gods and men are honored, to be abominated for reigning over the trees?

10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come you, and reign over us.

11 But the fig tree said to them, I am not going to leave my sweetness and my good fruit, to be abominated for reigning over the trees.

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

13 But the vine said to them, I am not going to leave my wine which cheers the hearts of gods and men, to be abominated for reigning over the trees.

14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, Come you, and reign over us.

15 And the bramble said to the trees, If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.