Judges 9:4-15
English Standard Version
Chapter 9
4And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him. 5And he went 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. 6And all the leaders of Shechem came together, and all Beth-millo, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem.
7When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and cried aloud and said to them, "Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you.
8The trees once went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’
9But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?’
10And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.’
11But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?’
12And the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’
13But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?’
14Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us.’
15And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade, but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’
