Judges 9:9

Judges 9:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
• New International Version (NIV)“But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’
• English Standard Version (ESV)But the olive tree said to them, 'Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?'
• New King James Version (NKJV)But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I cease giving my oil, With which they honor God and men, And go to sway over trees?’

Context of Judges 9:9

7And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. 8The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? 10And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. 11But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

Judges 9:9 word by word

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ הַזַּ֔יִת הֶחֳדַ֙לְתִּי֙ אֶת־דִּשְׁנִ֔י אֲשֶׁר־בִּ֛י יְכַבְּד֥וּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים וַאֲנָשִׁ֑ים וְהָ֣לַכְתִּ֔י לָנ֖וּעַ עַל־הָעֵצִֽים׃Read the interlinear

• But the olive treeזַ֫יִתzayith · oliveH2132
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto them, Should I leaveחָדַלchâdal · to ceaseH2308
• my fatnessדֶּ֫שֶׁןdeshen · ashesH1880
• wherewith by me they honourכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: honourH3513
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• and manאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• and goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• to be promotedנוּעַnûa‛ · to shakeH5128
• over the treesעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086

Cross-references for Judges 9:9

• Exodus 29:2And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them.
• Exodus 35:14The lampstand also for the light, and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light,
• Leviticus 2:1And when any will offer a grain offering unto Yhwh, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:
• 1 Kings 19:15And Yhwh said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
• Psalms 89:20I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:
• Psalms 104:15And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.
• Acts 4:27For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
• Acts 10:38How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
• 1 John 2:20But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
• Job 1:7And Yhwh said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered Yhwh, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
• Job 2:2And Yhwh said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered Yhwh, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

Commentaries on Judges 9:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Wherewith - they honor God and man - I believe the word אלהים elohim here should be translated gods, for the parable seems to be accommodated to the idolatrous state of the Shechemites. Thus it was understood by the Vulgate, Arabic, and others. It is true that olive oil was often used in the service of God: the priests were anointed with it; the lamps in the tabernacle lighted with it; almost all the offerings of fine flour, cakes prepared in the pan…Read the comment
• 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 9:9

• Allegory
• Jotham
• Judge
• Parables
• Sarcasm

In the dictionaries

• God
• Olive Tree
• Deserving
• Fable
• Incline
• Merry
• Middle
• Mouth
• Olivetree
• Parable

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