Judges 9:7–15

Jotham’s Parable

⁷When Jotham heard about this, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted,

“Listen to me, citizens of Shechem!

Listen to me if you want God to listen to you!

⁸Once upon a time the trees decided to choose a king.

First they said to the olive tree,

‘Be our king!’

⁹But 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?’

¹⁰“Then they said to the fig tree,

‘You be our king!’

¹¹But the fig tree also refused, saying,

‘Should I quit producing my sweet fruit

just to wave back and forth over the trees?’

¹²“Then they said to the grapevine,

‘You be our king!’

¹³But 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?’

¹⁴“Then all the trees finally turned to the thornbush and said,

‘Come, you be our king!’

¹⁵And the thornbush replied to the trees,

‘If you truly want to make me your king,

come and take shelter in my shade.

If not, let fire come out from me

and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’ ”