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

¹ Then Jerubbaal's son Abimelech went to his mother's relatives in Shechem. He spoke to the entire family of his mother's father, telling them, ² "Ask all the "lords" of Shechem, "What's better for you? That 70 men, each of them Jerubbaal's sons, rule over you? Or that one man rule over you?' Keep in mind that I'm like your own close relative."

³ So his mother's relatives spoke all of this on his behalf in the presence of all the "lords" of Shechem. Since they were inclined to follow Abimelech, they said, "He's our relative!" ⁴ and they gave him 70 silver coins from the temple that they had built to Baal-berith. Abimelech hired some worthless and useless men, who followed him ⁵ to his father's house in Ophrah. There he murdered his own brothers, Jerubbaal's sons all 70 of them in one place. But Jerubbaal's youngest son Jotham survived by hiding himself. ⁶ All the men from Shechem and Beth-millo gathered together and set up Abimelech as king near the pillar erected in Shechem.

⁷ When Jotham was informed about this, he went out, took his stand on top of Mount Gerizim, and cried out loudly, "Listen to me, you "lords" of Shechem, and God will listen to you. ⁸ "Once upon a time the trees went out to consecrate a king for themselves. "So they told the olive tree, "Reign over us!' ⁹ But the olive tree asked them, "Should I stop producing my rich oils by which both God and men are honored and go take dominion over trees?' ¹⁰ "So the trees told the fig tree, "Hey you! Come and reign over us!' ¹¹ But the fig tree asked them, "Should I leave my sweet, good fruit and go take dominion over trees?' ¹² "So the trees told the grape vine, "Hey you! Come and reign over us!' ¹³ But the grape vine asked them, "Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go take dominion over trees?' ¹⁴ "So all the trees told the bramble bush, "Hey you! Come and reign over us!' ¹⁵ Then the bramble bush replied to the trees, "If you really are consecrating me to rule you, come and put your confidence in my shade; but if not, may fire spring out from the bramble bush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon"'

¹⁶ "Now then, if you have been acting in good faith and integrity by making a king out of Abimelech, if you have treated Jerubbaal and his household appropriately by acting toward him as he deserved ¹⁷ because my father fought on your behalf, throwing away all concern for his own life, and delivered you from Midian's domination. ¹⁸ "But now as for you, you've rebelled against my father's house today. You've murdered his sons 70 men in one place, and you've installed Abimelech, the son of his mistress, as king to rule over the "lords" of Shechem, since he's related to you. ¹⁹ So if you've acted in good faith and integrity toward Jerubbaal and his household today, then you're welcome to Abimelech, and he's welcome to you" ²⁰ But if not, may fire spring out from Abimelech and consume the "lords" of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire spring out from the "lords" of Shechem and Beth-millo to consume Abimelech." ²¹ Then Jotham escaped by running away. He went to Beer and remained there because of his brother Abimelech.