Judges 9:1-21 - Abimelech Attempts To Become King

¹ For Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, unto his mother's brethren, and communed with them and with all his mother's father's kindred, saying, ² "Say, I pray you, in the ears of all the inhabiters of Shechem: whether is better for you that all the sons of Jerubbaal which are seventy persons reign over you, either that one reign over you. And remember thereto, that I am your bones and your flesh."

³ And his mother's brethren rehearsed of him in the audience of all the citizens of Shechem, all these words, and moved their hearts to follow Abimelech, in that they said how he was their brother. ⁴ And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light persons which went with him. ⁵ And they went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew all his brethren, the sons of Jerubbaal, even seventy persons upon one stone. Notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal escaped, for he hid himself. ⁶ And all the citizens of Shechem gathered together with all the house of Mello, and went and made Abimelech king at a certain oak that was by Shechem.

⁷ And when it was told Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lift up his voice and called, and said unto them, "Hearken unto me you citizens of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you. ⁸ The trees went to anoint a king over them, and said unto the olive tree, 'Reign over us.' ⁹ But the olive tree said unto them, 'Should I leave my fatness which both God and man praiseth in me, and go to be promoted over the trees?' ¹⁰ Then said the trees to the fig tree, 'Come thou and be king over us.' ¹¹ And the fig tree answered them, 'Should I forsake my sweetness and my good fruit, and should go to be promoted over the trees?' ¹² Then said the trees unto the vine, 'Come thou and be king over us.' ¹³ And the vine answered, 'Should I leave my wine that cheereth both God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?' ¹⁴ Then said all the trees unto the furze-bush, 'Come thou and reign over us.' ¹⁵ And the furze bush said unto the trees, "If it will be true that ye will anoint me king over you, then come and rest under my shadow, and ye shall see that a fire shall come out of the furze-bush and waste the cypress trees of Lebanon!'

¹⁶ And even so, now: if ye have done truly and uncorruptly to make Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands, ¹⁷ - forasmuch as my father fought for you and adventured his life, and rid you out of the hands of the Midianites - ¹⁸ and ye are risen up against my father's house this day. And have slain his children, even seventy persons upon one stone and have made Abimelech - the son of his maidservant - king over the citizens of Shechem, because he is your brother. ¹⁹ If, then, ye have dealt purely and truly with Jerubbaal and with his house this day: then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you. ²⁰ But, if ye have not dealt truly, then I pray God a fire may come out of Abimelech and consume the citizens of Shechem and the house of Mello. And that there come a fire out of the citizens of Shechem, and out of the house of Mello and consume Abimelech." ²¹ And Jotham ran away and fled and went to Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.