Judges 9:8-14

Judges 9:8

The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

 

Jotham then begins to tell a parable about the trees.  He starts out with one of the most useful trees in the land of Israel and eventually winds up with the bramble bush which is the most useless.  He begins by stating that the trees wanted the olive tree to reign over them.  The olive tree is Gideon and the trees are the people of Israel.

 

Judges 9:9

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?

 

Then the olive tree states that he does not want to leave the position he is in because the olive oil is used in many places such as oil in lamps, anointing of the kings and priests, and also used as an expensive gift.  So because his fruit is so useful, he refuses to give up that position just to reign over the other trees.

 

Judges 9:10

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

 

Next the trees went to the fig tree and asked it to reign over them.  This one could be applied to Gideon’s sons because they were already in a position to be able to rule over the people.  The fig tree gave much shade and delicious fruit.

 

Judges 9:11

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

 

The fig tree also returned the same answer as the olive tree and refused to reign over the other trees.  The figs were very sweet fruit and were refreshing to anyone who would have the privilege of eating one.  His answer also came in the form of a question.

 

Judges 9:12

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

 

Then the trees come to the vine since they ran out of fruit bearing trees.  The vine would produce grapes which would be used for drink and also for salads, and as a treat by themselves.  It seems that the trees could not live without a king and were about to have anyone rule over them even if it was a person of low degree.

 

Judges 9:13

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

 

The vine knew exactly how valuable to men was its fruit because it not only made a grape drink but it was also pressed into making wine.  The wine was made into an offering unto the Lord.  Numbers 15:7 (KJV)   And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.  When man drinks the wine it refreshes and revitalizes him.  Keep in mind that the wine of old days was not equal to the wine of today with its high alcohol content of 24%.

 

Judges 9:14

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

 

Now the trees, being very desperate to have a king, come to the bramble bush which is the most useless of all the bushes.  The trees degenerated in their choice from an olive tree to the bramble bush.  The only thing a bramble bush is good for is the fire it helps stoke for heat or cooking and has no use beyond that.  Of course, the parable changes here that the bramble is Abimelech and the trees are the men of Shechem.   Bramble bushes give no fruit, no shade, no joy, not used as an offering to the Lord, etc.

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