Judges 9:9 - Printer Friendly

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?’

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?’

NASB: But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I give up my fatness with which God and mankind are honored, and go to wave over the trees?’

CSB: But the olive tree said to them, "Should I stop giving my oil that people use to honor both God and men, and rule over the trees?"

NLT: But the olive tree refused, saying, ‘Should I quit producing the olive oil that blesses both God and people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?’

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?

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?’

Jotham, the youngest and only survivor of Gideon's seventy sons (Judges 8:30–31; 9:1–5), is delivering an unscheduled speech. This is being shouted from a perch on Mount Gerizim, overlooking the city of Shechem. The chosen moment is the coronation of Abimelech, the brother who murdered his siblings to secure his throne.

The story began with trees attempting to choose a king. They first asked the olive tree to rule. The olive tree says no: its current role provides something valued by "gods and men." Ruling over other trees would be less worthy; the olive tree values its current purpose and productivity too much to take on a new role, even one as honorable as king. As far as this fable is concerned, the olive tree is capable and successful enough that it feels no urge to seek power over others.

Olive oil played a vital role in the everyday lives of ancient people in this region. The product of the olive tree was used for cooking, medicine, fuel for lighting, sacred anointings, and all kinds of lubrication. It was endlessly essential and desirable, as were the products of the next two trees in Jotham's fable. However, the king eventually chosen in the story, is not (Judges 9:15), implying that Shechem has made an extremely poor choice by submitting to Abimelech.

Judges 9:6–21 contains a parable and prophecy spoken by the sole surviving son of Gideon. Jotham was the only one missed in a massacre orchestrated by his half-brother, Abimelech (Judges 9:1–6). During the coronation ceremony making Abimelech a local ruler, Jotham shouts out a curse against Abimelech and Shechem's leaders. This takes the form of a fable about trees making a bramble bush their king. The prediction intended by Jotham's declaration is that Shechem's leaders did not act in integrity, so they and Abimelech will destroy each other. Jotham then flees the area.

Shechem's leaders conspire with a concubine's son to kill Gideon's other seventy sons. They make this man, Abimelech, their ruler. Gideon's youngest son survives, however, and delivers a curse. Using a fable, he says Abimelech and Shechem's leaders will destroy each other. God causes a division between Shechem's leaders and Abimelech. The noblemen attempt to kill Abimelech and unite behind a new leader. Abimelech discovers the plot and kills everyone in Shechem, destroying the city. When attacking a tower in a nearby town, however, Abimelech's skull is crushed by a thrown millstone. The curse is fulfilled.

Gideon successfully defeated Midianite raiders but declined to become Israel's official king. His sons, however, were held in high esteem during his remaining years (Judges 8). After Gideon's death, ambitious men conspire to kill almost all those heirs. This results in a series of bloody events. Eventually, judgment comes on those responsible. Israel fails to learn from the tragedies. Chapter 10 explains further idolatry and sin, before introducing the next major judge, Jephthah, in chapter 11.

The Book of Judges describes Israel's history from the death of Joshua to shortly before Israel's first king, Saul. Israel fails to complete God's command to purge the wicked Canaanites from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). This results in a centuries-long cycle where Israel falls into sin and is oppressed by local enemies. After each oppression, God sends a civil-military leader, labeled using a Hebrew word loosely translated into English as "judge." These appointed rescuers would free Israel from enemy control and govern for a certain time. After each judge's death, the cycle of sin and oppression begins again. This continues until the people of Israel choose a king, during the ministry of the prophet-and-judge Samuel (1 Samuel 1—7).