Judges 9:1-20

1Now 1Abimelech the son of 2Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mother’s relatives, and spoke to them and to the entire family of the household of his mother’s father, saying, 2“Speak, now, in the hearing of all the 3leaders of Shechem, ‘Which is better for you: for 4seventy men, all the sons of Jerubbaal, to rule over you, or for one man to rule over you?’ Also, remember that I am 5your bone and your flesh.” 3So his mother’s relatives spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the 6leaders of Shechem; and 7they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, “He is 8our relative.” 4And they gave him seventy pieces of silver from the house of 9Baal-berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men, and they followed him. 5Then he went to his father’s house in Ophrah and 10killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, 11seventy men, 12on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, because he hid himself. 6All the 13leaders of Shechem and all 14Beth-millo assembled together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the 15oak of the memorial stone which was in Shechem.

7Now when they told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of 16Mount Gerizim, and raised his voice and called out. And he said to them, “Listen to me, you 17leaders of Shechem, that God may listen to you. 8Once the trees went 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 give up my fatness with 18which God and mankind are honored, and go to wave over the trees?’ 10Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You, come, reign over us!’ 11But the fig tree said to them, ‘Shall I give up my sweetness and my good 19fruit, and go to wave over the trees?’ 12Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You, come, reign over us!’ 13But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I give up my new wine, which cheers God and mankind, and go to wave over the trees?’ 14Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You, come, reign over us!’ 15And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If you 20really are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out of the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’

16“Now then, if you have acted with 21honesty and integrity in making Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with 22Jerubbaal and his house, and 23have dealt with him 24as he deserved-- 17for my father fought for you, and 25risked his life and saved you from the hand of Midian; 18but in fact you have risen against my father’s house today and have killed 26his sons, seventy men, on one stone, and have made Abimelech, 27the son of his female slave, king over the 28leaders of Shechem, because he is your relative-- 19so if you have acted with 29honesty and integrity toward Jerubbaal and his house this day, be joyful about Abimelech, and may he also be joyful about you. 20But if not, may fire come out of Abimelech and consume the 30leaders of Shechem and 31Beth-millo; and may fire come out of the 32leaders of Shechem and from 33Beth-millo, and consume Abimelech.”