Judges 9:8–15

8 “The trees went certainly,

to anoint a king over themselves.

And they said to the olive tree,

‘Rule over us.’

9 And the olive tree replied,

‘Should I stop producing my oil,

which by me gods and men are honored,

to go sway over the trees?’

10 Then the trees said to the fig tree,

‘You, come rule over us.’

11 But the fig tree said to them,

‘Should I stop producing my sweetness,

and my good crop,

to go sway over the trees?’

12 And the trees said to the vine,

‘You, come rule over us.’

13 But the vine said to them,

‘Should I stop producing my wine

that makes the gods and men happy,

to go sway over the trees?’

14 So all the trees said to the thornbush,

‘You, come rule over us.’

15 And the thornbush said to the trees,

‘If in good faithj you are anointing

me as king over you,

then come and take refuge in my shade;

if not, may fire go out from the thornbush

and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’