Keraia
Judges 9

Judges 9:21

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

Modern
Then Jotham ran away, escaping to Beer, and he lived there for fear of his brother Abimelech.
Traditional
And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
Literal
And Jotham ran away and fled, and he went to Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.
Latin
Quæ cum dixisset, fugit, et abiit in Bera: habitavitque ibi ob metum Abimelech fratris sui.

Original

Hebrew
English
Then Jotham ran away, escaping to Beer, and he lived there for fear of his brother Abimelech.

Notes

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

People

Abimelech: Son of Gideon, self-proclaimed king of Shechem Jotham: Youngest son of Gideon who escaped Abimelech's massacre

Places

Beeroth: Hivite city, later allotted to Benjamin

Glossary

Arumah Baal-Berith Beer Curse, Cursed Jotham Judges, Book of Shechem (Place) Warfare

Topics

Beer: A Town in the Territory of the Tribe of Judah Fatherless: Jotham Jotham: Son of Gideon: Rebukes the Shechemites with the Parable About the Trees Judge: Abimelech Orphan: Jotham the Tribe of Manasseh: Remarkable Persons of Jotham