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

¹ Gideon's son Abimelech went to the town of Shechem. All his mother's relatives lived there. He told them: ² Ask the men of Shechem: 'Which is better for you. To have all seventy of Gideon's sons govern you or to have just one man? Remember that Abimelech is your own flesh and blood.'

³ His mother's relatives talked to the men of Shechem about this for him. The men of Shechem decided to follow Abimelech because: He is our relative. ⁴ They gave him seventy pieces of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith. Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men to join him. ⁵ He went to his father's house at Ophrah. There on top of a single stone he killed his seventy brothers, Gideon's sons. Gideon's youngest son Jotham hid and therefore was not killed. ⁶ All the men of Shechem and Bethmillo got together and went to the sacred oak tree at Shechem, where they made Abimelech king.

⁷ Jotham heard about this. He stood on top of Mount Gerizim and shouted out to them: Men of Shechem, listen to me and God may listen to you! ⁸ The trees went out to anoint a king over them. They said to the olive tree: 'Be our king.' ⁹ The olive tree answered: 'I would have to stop producing my oil in order to govern you. My oil is used to honor gods and human beings.' ¹⁰ Then the trees said to the fig tree: 'Come and be our king.' ¹¹ The fig tree replied: 'I would have to stop producing my good sweet fruit that I may govern you.' ¹² Then the trees spoke to the grapevine: 'You come and be our king.' ¹³ But the vine answered: 'I could not govern you for I would have to stop producing my wine. It makes gods and human beings happy.' ¹⁴ So then all the trees said to the thorn bush: 'You come and be our king! ¹⁵ The thorn bush answered: 'If you really want to make me your king, then come and take shelter in my shade. If you do not, fire will blaze out of my thorny branches and burn up the cedars of Lebanon.'

¹⁶ Think about it, Jotham continued: 'Were you really honest and sincere when you made Abimelech king? Have you respected Gideon's memory? Did you treat his family properly, as his actions deserved? ¹⁷ My father fought for you. He risked his life to deliver you from the Midianites. ¹⁸ Today you turned against my father's family. You killed his sons, seventy men on a single stone. And this because Abimelech, his son by his servant woman, is your relative, you have made him king of Shechem. ¹⁹ If you have acted in truth and sincerity today to Gideon and his family then be happy with Abimelech and let him be happy with you. ²⁰ But if not, may fire blaze out from Abimelech and burn up the men of Shechem and Bethmillo. May fire blaze out from the men of Shechem and Bethmillo and burn Abimelech up.' ²¹ Jotham ran away to Beer and lived there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.