Judges 9:1-15 ▼

1 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s relatives and spoke to them and to the whole family of the household of his mother’s father, saying,

2 “Speak, now, in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you, that seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, rule over you, or that one man rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am your bone and your flesh.”

3 And his mother’s relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem; and they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is our relative.”

4 So they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, and they followed him.

5 Then he came to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself.

6 Then all the lords of Shechem and all Beth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar which was in Shechem.

7 Then they told Jotham, so he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and lifted his voice and called out. Thus he said to them, “Listen to me, O lords of Shechem, that God may listen to you.

8 The trees surely 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, ‘Shall I leave my fatness, with which God and men are honored, and go to wave over the trees?’

10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come, reign over us!’

11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good produce and go to wave over the trees?’

12 Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come, reign over us!’

13 But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my new wine, which makes God and men glad, and go to wave over the trees?’

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

15 And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’