Judges 9:12

Judges 9:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
• New International Version (NIV)“Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the trees said to the vine, 'You come and reign over us.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us!’

Context of Judges 9:12

10“Then they said to the fig tree, ‘You be our king!’ 11But the fig tree also refused, saying, ‘Should I quit producing my sweet fruit just to wave back and forth over the trees?’ “Then they said to the grapevine, ‘You be our king!’ 13But the grapevine also refused, saying, ‘Should I quit producing the wine that cheers both God and people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?’ 14“Then all the trees finally turned to the thornbush and said, ‘Come, you be our king!’

Judges 9:12 word by word

וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ הָעֵצִ֖ים לַגָּ֑פֶן לְכִי־אַ֖תְּ מָלְכִ֥י עָלֵֽינוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the treesעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
• unto the vineגֶּ֫פֶןgephen · vineH1612
• Comeיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• reignמָלַךְmâlak · to reignH4427

Commentaries on Judges 9:12

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8-20Verses 8-20 This fable and that noted in the marginal reference are the only two of the kind found in Scripture. Somewhat different are the parables of the Old Testament, 2 Samuel 12:1-4; 2 Samuel 14:5-11; 1 Kings 20:39-40. Judges 9:9 Honour God and man - Alluding to the constant use of oil in the meat-offerings Exodus 30:24-25. In like manner, the allusion in Judges 9:13 is to the drink-offerings of wine. See Leviticus 23:13; Numbers 15:10. Judges 9:14…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-21Verses 7-21 There was no occasion for the trees to choose a king, they are all the trees of the Lord which he has planted. Nor was there any occasion for Israel to set a king over them, for the Lord was their King. Those who bear fruit for the public good, are justly respected and honoured by all that are wise, more than those who merely make a figure. All these fruit-trees gave much the same reason for their refusal to be promoted over the trees; or, as…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-13Olives, 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.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-217. he ... stood in the top of mount Gerizim and lifted up his voice--The spot he chose was, like the housetops, the public place of Shechem; and the parable [Jud 9:8-15] drawn from the rivalry of the various trees was appropriate to the diversified foliage of the valley below. Eastern people are exceedingly fond of parables and use them for conveying reproofs, which they could not give in any other way. The top of Gerizim is not so high in the rear of the…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 9:12

• Allegory
• Grape
• Jotham
• Judge
• Parables
• Sarcasm
• Vine

In the dictionaries

• Deserving
• Fable
• Incline
• Merry
• Middle
• Mouth
• Parable
• Abdon (1)
• Abimelech
• Accommodation

Commentaries on Judges 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary