Judges 9:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?’

NIV: But the vine answered, 'Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?'

NASB: But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I give up my new wine, which cheers God and mankind, and go to wave over the trees?’

CSB: But the grapevine said to them, "Should I stop giving my wine that cheers both God and man, and rule over trees? "

NLT: But 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?’

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

NKJV: But the vine said to them, ‘Should I cease my new wine, Which cheers both God and men, And go to sway over trees?’

Jotham, the only surviving sibling of Gideon's seventy sons, other than the man who killed them, is telling a story (Judges 9:8–12). He is presenting a fable about trees searching for a king to make a larger point to the people of Shechem about the king they are anointing on this day: his murderous brother, Abimelech (Judges 9:1–6).

In the story, the olive and fig trees declined to rule over the others. Their productivity is already valuable, so they have no desire to seek power over others. Likewise, the grape vine decides that the cheer-inducing wine it makes is too important to leave behind to merely serve as king over the trees.

After being rejected by valuable, capable options, the trees in Jotham's tale turn to something not only useless, but dangerous: the bramble bush. This is a clear attack on Abimelech's fitness to rule (Judges 9:14).

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).

Accessed 5/5/2024 12:49:58 PM