Judges 9:1-21

Abimelech son of Gideon went to his uncles in the city of Shechem. He said to his uncles and all of his mother’s family group, “Ask the leaders of Shechem, ‘Is it better for the seventy sons of Gideon to rule over you or for one man to rule?’ Remember, I am your relative.” Abimelech’s uncles spoke to all the leaders of Shechem about this. And they decided to follow Abimelech, because they said, “He is our relative.” So the leaders of Shechem gave Abimelech about one and three-quarter pounds of silver from the temple of the god Baal-Berith. Abimelech used the silver to hire some worthless, reckless men, who followed him wherever he went. He went to Ophrah, the hometown of his father, and murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Gideon. He killed them all on one stone. But Gideon’s youngest son, Jotham, hid from Abimelech and escaped. Then all of the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree standing in Shechem. There they made Abimelech their king. When Jotham heard this, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He shouted to the people: “Listen to me, you leaders of Shechem, so that God will listen to you! One day the trees decided to appoint a king to rule over them. They said to the olive tree, ‘You be king over us!’ “But the olive tree said, ‘Men and gods are honored by my oil. Should I stop making it and go and sway over the other trees?’ “Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be king over us!’ “But the fig tree answered, ‘Should I stop making my sweet and good fruit and go and sway over the other trees?’ “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be king over us!’ “But the vine answered, ‘My new wine makes men and gods happy. Should I stop making it and go and sway over the trees?’ “Then all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be king over us.’ “But the thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to appoint me king over you, come and find shelter in my shade! But if not, let fire come out of the thornbush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon!’ “Now, were you completely honest and sincere when you made Abimelech king? Have you been fair to Gideon and his family? Have you treated Gideon as you should? Remember, my father fought for you and risked his life to save you from the power of the Midianites. But now you have turned against my father’s family and have killed his seventy sons on one stone. You have made Abimelech, the son of my father’s slave girl, king over the leaders of Shechem just because he is your relative! So then, if you have been honest and sincere to Gideon and his family today, be happy with Abimelech as your king. And may he be happy with you! But if not, may fire come out of Abimelech and completely burn you leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo! Also may fire come out of the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo and burn up Abimelech!” Then Jotham ran away and escaped to the city of Beer. He lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech.