Keraia
Judges 9

Judges 9:12

Jotham’s Parable · Judges 9:7–21
Read Judges 9

Translations

Modern
Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and reign over us.’
Traditional
Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
Literal
And the trees said to the vine, ‘Come you, reign over us.’
Latin
Locutaque sunt ligna ad vitem: Veni, et impera nobis.

Original

Hebrew
English
Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and reign over us.’

Notes

Judges 9:8–13

  • Olives, figs, and grapes were essential to Canaan's agriculture. They provided important crops and enhanced the landscape's beauty.

  • To wave back and forth over the trees meant being visible and active but achieving nothing.

Judges 9:7–21

Jotham shared a fable, where plants and animals act like humans, to illustrate the situation (Judges 9:7–15). He then cursed Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem (Judges 9:16–21). If they had acted dishonestly, it would become clear (Judges 9:56–57).

Judges 9:1–57

Abimelech's reign marked a shift from the relative peace of the early judges (Judges 3:7–8:35) to the decline of the later years (10:1–16:31).

Theme notes and profiles

Gideon Preaching to a Tough Crowd Shechem

Events

Glossary

Arumah Baal-Berith Beth-Millo Curse, Cursed Judges, Book of Millo Riddle Shechem (Place) Warfare

Topics

Allegory of the Trees Seeking a King Grape: Fable of Jotham: Son of Gideon: Rebukes the Shechemites with the Parable About the Trees Judge: Abimelech Parables of the Trees Parables: Remarkable Parables of the Old Testament Sarcasm by Jotham Vine: Fable of