8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
8 The trees H6086 went forth H1980 H1980 on a time to anoint H4886 a king H4428 over them; and they said H559 unto the olive tree, H2132 Reign H4427 thou over us.
9 But the olive tree H2132 said H559 unto them, Should I leave H2308 my fatness, H1880 wherewith by me they honour H3513 God H430 and man, H582 and go H1980 to be promoted H5128 over the trees? H6086
10 And the trees H6086 said H559 to the fig tree, H8384 Come H3212 thou, and reign H4427 over us.
11 But the fig tree H8384 said H559 unto them, Should I forsake H2308 my sweetness, H4987 and my good H2896 fruit, H8570 and go H1980 to be promoted H5128 over the trees? H6086
12 Then said H559 the trees H6086 unto the vine, H1612 Come H3212 thou, and reign H4427 over us.
13 And the vine H1612 said H559 unto them, Should I leave H2308 my wine, H8492 which cheereth H8055 God H430 and man, H582 and go H1980 to be promoted H5128 over the trees? H6086
14 Then said H559 all the trees H6086 unto the bramble, H329 Come H3212 thou, and reign H4427 over us.
15 And the bramble H329 said H559 unto the trees, H6086 If in truth H571 ye anoint H4886 me king H4428 over you, then come H935 and put your trust H2620 in my shadow: H6738 and if not, let fire H784 come out H3318 of the bramble, H329 and devour H398 the cedars H730 of Lebanon. H3844
8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive-tree, Reign thou over us.
9 But the olive-tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?
10 And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
11 But the fig-tree said unto them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?
12 And the trees said unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?
14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
8 `The trees have diligently gone to anoint over them a king, and they say to the olive, Reign thou over us.
9 And the olive saith to them, Have I ceased from my fatness, by which they honour gods and men, that I have gone to stagger over the trees?
10 And the trees say to the fig, Come thou, reign over us.
11 And the fig saith to them, Have I ceased from my sweetness, and my good increase, that I have gone to stagger over the trees?
12 `And the trees say to the vine, Come thou, reign over us.
13 And the vine saith to them, Have I ceased from my new wine, which is rejoicing gods and men, that I have gone to stagger over the trees?
14 And all the trees say unto the bramble, Come thou, reign over us.
15 And the bramble saith unto the trees, If in truth ye are anointing me for king over you, come, take refuge in my shadow; and if not -- fire cometh out from the bramble, and devoureth the cedars of Lebanon.
8 The trees once 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, by which gods and men are honored, and go to sway over the trees?'
10 And the trees said to the fig tree, 'Come you, and reign over us.'
11 But the fig tree said to them, 'Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to sway over the trees?'
12 And the trees said to the vine, 'Come you, and reign over us.'
13 But the vine said to them, 'Shall I leave my wine which cheers gods and men, and go to sway over the trees?'
14 Then all the trees said to the bramble, 'Come you, and reign over us.'
15 And 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.'
8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive tree, Reign you over us.
9 But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, with which by me they honor God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?
10 The trees said to the fig tree, Come you, and reign over us.
11 But the fig tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?
12 The trees said to the vine, Come you, and reign over us.
13 The vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?
14 Then said all the trees to the bramble, Come you, and reign over us.
15 The bramble said to the trees, If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
8 One day the trees went out to make a king for themselves; and they said to the olive-tree, Be king over us.
9 But the olive-tree said to them, Am I to give up my wealth of oil, by which men give honour to God, and go waving over the trees?
10 Then the trees said to the fig-tree, You come and be king over us.
11 But the fig-tree said to them, Am I to give up my sweet taste and my good fruit and go waving over the trees?
12 Then the trees said to the vine, You come and be king over us.
13 But the vine said to them, Am I to give up my wine, which makes glad God and men, to go waving over the trees?
14 Then all the trees said to the thorn, You come and be king over us.
15 And the thorn said to the trees, If it is truly your desire to make me your king, then come and put your faith in my shade; and if not, may fire come out of the thorn, burning up the cedars of Lebanon.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Judges 9
Commentary on Judges 9 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 9
The apostasy of Israel after the death of Gideon is punished, not as the former apostasies by a foreign invasion, or the oppressions of any neighbouring power, but by intestine broils among themselves, which in this chapter we have the story of; and it is hard to say whether their sin or their misery appears most in it. It is an account of the usurpation and tyranny of Abimelech, who was base son to Gideon; so we must call him, and not more modishly his natural son: he was so unlike him. We are here told,
Jdg 9:1-6
We are here told by what arts Abimelech got into authority, and made himself great. His mother perhaps had instilled into his mind some towering ambitious thoughts, and the name his father gave him, carrying royalty in it, might help to blow up these sparks; and now that he has buried his father nothing will serve his proud spirit but he will succeed him in the government of Israel, directly contrary to his father's will, for he had declared no son of his should rule over them. He had no call from God to this honour as his father had, nor was there any present occasion for a judge to deliver Israel as there was when his father was advanced; but his own ambition must be gratified, and its gratification is all he aims at. Now observe here,
Jdg 9:7-21
We have here the only testimony that appears to have been borne against the wicked confederacy of Abimelech and the men of Shechem. It was a sign they had provoked God to depart from them that neither any prophet was sent nor any remarkable judgment, to awaken this stupid people, and to stop the progress of this threatening mischief. Only Jotham, the youngest son of Gideon, who by a special providence escaped the common ruin of his family (v. 5), dealt plainly with the Shechemites, and his speech, which is here recorded, shows him to have been a man of such great ingenuity and wisdom, and really such an accomplished gentleman, that we cannot but the more lament the fall of Gideon's sons. Jotham did not go about to raise an army out of the other cities of Israel (in which, one would think, he might have made a good interest for his father's sake), to avenge his brethren's death, much less to set up himself in competition with Abimelech, so groundless was the usurper's suggestion that the sons of Gideon aimed at dominion (v. 2); but he contents himself with giving a faithful reproof to the Shechemites, and fair warning of the fatal consequences. He got an opportunity of speaking to them from the top of Mount Gerizim, the mount of blessings, at the foot of which probably the Shechemites were, upon some occasion or other, gathered together (Josephus says, solemnizing a festival), and it seems they were willing to hear what he had to say.
Jotham, having given them this admonition, made a shift to escape with his life, v. 21. Either they could not reach him or they were so far convinced that they would not add the guilt of his blood to all the rest. But, for fear of Abimelech, he lived in exile, in some remote obscure place. Those whose extraction and education are ever so high know not to what difficulties and straits they may be reduced.
Jdg 9:22-49
Three years Abimelech reigned, after a sort, without any disturbance; it is not said, He judged Israel, or did any service at all to his country, but so long he enjoyed the title and dignity of a king; and not only the Shechemites, but many other places, paid him respect. They must have been fond of a king that could please themselves with such a one as this. But the triumphing of the wicked is short. Within three years, as the years of a hireling, all this glory shall be contemned, and laid in the dust, Isa. 16:14. The ruin of these confederates in wickedness was from the righteous hand of the God to whom vengeance belongs. He sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the Shechemites (v. 23), that is, they grew jealous one of another and ill-affected one to another. He slighted those that set him up, and perhaps countenanced other cities which now began to come into his interests more than he did theirs; and then they grew uneasy at his government, blamed his conduct, and quarrelled at his impositions. This was from God. He permitted the devil, that great mischief-maker, to sow discord between them, and he is an evil spirit, whom God not only keeps under his check, but sometimes serves his own purposes by. Their own lusts were evil spirits; they are devils in men's own hearts; from them come wars and fightings. These God gave them up to, and so might be said to send the evil spirits between them. When men's sin is made their punishment, though God is not the author of the sin, yet the punishment is from him. The quarrel God had with Abimelech and the Shechemites was for the murder of the sons of Gideon (v. 24): That the cruelty done to them might come and their blood be laid as a burden upon Abimelech that slew them, and the men of Shechem that helped him. Note,
Jdg 9:50-57
We have seen the ruin of the Shechemites completed by the hand of Abimelech; and now it comes to his turn to be reckoned with who was their leader in villany. Thebez was a small city, probably not far from Shechem, dependent upon it, and in confederacy with it. Now,