Keraia
Judges 9

Judges 9:14

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

Translations

Modern
Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and reign over us.’
Traditional
Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
Literal
And all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come you, reign over us.’
Latin
Dixeruntque omnia ligna ad rhamnum: Veni, et impera super nos.

Original

Hebrew
English
Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and reign over us.’

Notes

Judges 9:14–15

  • The trees, preferring a bad king to having none (compare 1 Samuel 8:18–19), asked the thornbush to be king. Although neither useful nor attractive, the thornbush accepted. The person who agreed to be king had no better work to do.

  • The thornbush could not provide shade from the hot Middle Eastern sun. Accepting this offer was both pointless and unwise.

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 Boxthorn Curse, Cursed Judges, Book of Millo Riddle Shechem (Place) Thistle, Thorn Warfare

Topics

Allegory of the Trees Seeking a King Bramble: Allegory 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 Pride: General Scriptures Concerning Sarcasm by Jotham