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Judges 9:8-15

The trees set out to anoint a king over themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’

“But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I stop producing my oil, with which they honor God and man by me, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’

“The trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’

“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?’

“The trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’

“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?’

“Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come and reign over us.’

“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.’

World English Bible · Public Domain
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Judges 9:8-15 sits inside this longer paragraph.

His mother’s brothers spoke of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words. Their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, “He is our brother.” They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and reckless fellows who followed him. He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, being seventy persons, on one stone; but Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself. All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together with all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillar that was in Shechem. When they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and lifted up his voice, cried out, and said to them, “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you. The trees set out to anoint a king over themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’

“But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I stop producing my oil, with which they honor God and man by me, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’

“The trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’

“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?’

“The trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’

“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?’

“Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come and reign over us.’

“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.’

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Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    The trees set out to anoint a king over themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’

    “But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I stop producing my oil, with which they honor God and man by me, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’

    “The trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’

    “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?’

    “The trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’

    “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?’

    “Then all the trees said to the bramble, ‘Come and reign over us.’

    “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.’

  • KJV King James Version

    The 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?

    And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.

    But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

    Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.

    And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

    Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

    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.

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  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    The 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, seeing that by me they honour God and man, and go to hold sway over the trees?

    And the trees said to the fig-tree: Come thou, and reign over us.

    But the fig-tree said unto them: Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruitage, and go to hold sway over the trees?

    And the trees said unto the vine: Come thou, and reign over us.

    And the vine said unto them: Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to hold sway over the trees?

    Then said all the trees unto the bramble: Come thou, and reign over us.

    And the bramble said unto the trees: If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shadow; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

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Cross-references (38)

  • Isaiah 30:2 (v15) who set out to go down into Egypt, and have not asked my advice, to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to take refuge in…
  • Psalms 104:15 (vv9, 13) wine that makes the heart of man glad, oil to make his face to shine, and bread that strengthens man’s heart.
  • Numbers 15:10 (v13) and you shall offer for the drink offering half a hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
  • Judges 9:20 (v15) but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech and devour the men of Shechem and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of…
  • Ecclesiastes 10:19 (v13) A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes the life glad; and money is the answer for all things.
Show all 35 cross-references
  • Isaiah 2:13 (v15) for all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, for all the oaks of Bashan,
  • Hosea 14:7 (v15) Men will dwell in his shade. They will revive like the grain, and blossom like the vine. Their fragrance will be like the wine of Lebanon.
  • 2 Kings 14:9 (vv8, 14, 15) Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon,…
  • Exodus 29:2 (v9) unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour.
  • Exodus 29:7 (v9) Then you shall take the anointing oil, and pour it on his head, and anoint him.
  • Exodus 35:14 (v9) the lamp stand also for the light, with its vessels, its lamps, and the oil for the light;
  • Leviticus 2:1 (v9) “ ‘When anyone offers an offering of a meal offering to Yahweh, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil on it, and put…
  • Numbers 15:5 (v13) You shall prepare wine for the drink offering, one fourth of a hin, with the burnt offering or for the sacrifice, for each lamb.
  • Numbers 21:28 (v15) for a fire has gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It has devoured Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of the Arnon.
  • Judges 8:22-23 (v8) Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you, your son, and your son’s son also; for you have saved us out of the hand of…
  • 1 Kings 19:15-16 (v9) Yahweh said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. Anoint…
  • Job 1:7 (v9) Yahweh said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “From going back and forth in the earth, and from…
  • Job 2:2 (v9) Yahweh said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “From going back and forth in the earth, and from…
  • Psalms 89:20 (v9) I have found David, my servant. I have anointed him with my holy oil,
  • Psalms 104:16 (v15) Yahweh’s trees are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon, which he has planted;
  • Isaiah 37:24 (v15) By your servants, you have defied the Lord, and have said, “With the multitude of my chariots I have come up to the height of the…
  • Ezekiel 19:14 (v15) Fire has gone out of its branches. It has devoured its fruit, so that there is in it no strong branch to be a scepter to rule.’ This is a…
  • Daniel 4:10-18 (v8) Thus were the visions of my head on my bed: I saw, and behold, a tree in the middle of the earth; and its height was great. The tree grew,…
  • Daniel 4:12 (v15) The leaves of it were beautiful, and it had much fruit, and in it was food for all. The animals of the field had shade under it, and the…
  • Luke 13:6-7 (v11) He spoke this parable. “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none. He said to…
  • Acts 4:27 (v9) “For truly, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together against your holy servant,…
  • Acts 10:38 (v9) even Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were…
  • 1 John 2:20 (v9) You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.
  • Proverbs 31:6 (v13) Give strong drink to him who is ready to perish, and wine to the bitter in soul.
  • Isaiah 1:31 (v15) The strong will be like tinder, and his work like a spark. They will both burn together, and no one will quench them.”
  • Ezekiel 17:3-10 (v8) and say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “A great eagle with great wings and long feathers, full of feathers, which had various colors, came to…
  • Ezekiel 31:3 (v15) Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with beautiful branches, and with a forest-like shade, of high stature; and its top was among…
  • Matthew 13:32 (v15) which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the…
  • Numbers 15:7 (v13) and for the drink offering you shall offer the third part of a hin of wine, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
  • Judges 9:49 (v15) All the people likewise each cut down his bough, followed Abimelech, and put them at the base of the stronghold, and set the stronghold on…

35 distinct cross-references across this passage (38 total citations).

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (16 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv8, 14, 15 By this parable he declareth that those that are…

By this parable he declareth that those that are not ambitious, are most worthy of honor, and that the ambitious abuse their honor both to their own destruction and others.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv8–15 Jdg 9:8 The trees went forth [on a time]…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 A parabolical discourse, usual among the ancients, especially in…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv8–15 The trees went forth on a time to anoint…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15 The trees, &c. - A parabolical discourse, usual among…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15 Verse 8. The trees went forth on a time]…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 11, 13, 14 Jdg 9:8. The trees went forth on a time…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v8 This fable and that noted in the marginal reference…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15 Us. By this parable, Joatham expostulates with the men…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v13 wine, which cheereth God and man--not certainly in the…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15 8. The trees — According to Dr. Thomson, the…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv8–15 8. The trees went forth] Cf. 2Ki_14:9. Fables of…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 (8) The trees went forth.—As in this chapter we…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv8, 9, 13, 14, 15 The trees, etc. This is the earliest example of…
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v15 (See Scofield "Psa 2:12")
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv9, 12, 15 General Information:
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