Judges, Ruth: Revised Edition (The NIV Application Commentary)

by K. Lawson Younger

The fable itself (9:7–15) is relatively straightforward. The setting is related in 9:7, in which Jotham takes his place on the top of Mount Gerizim22 and shouts down to the Shechemites. In the fable, the trees go out to anoint a king over them. They approach four different plants23 (the first three of which have significant value in the Palestinian agricultural context, producing valuable products for human beings).24 Each is offered the kingship, but the first three have a declining response: the olive tree (vv. 8–9), the fig tree (vv. 10–11), and the vine (vv. 12–13).25 Finally, the trees make an offer to the thornbush (v. 14), whose response is parabolic (v. 15). “If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade.”26 Only the thornbush, a useless plant (Abimelek), accepts the trees’ (Shechemites’) offer with an absurd condition. How can trees get under the smidgen of shade supplied by a thornbush? And worse, to attempt to do so would only bring the pain of being pricked by its thorns. “But if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush27 and consume the cedars of Lebanon!” (v. 15). This is another physical absurdity: How can fire come out of a thornbush and burn up an entire forest? Jotham’s implied thrust, however, is this: Since the trees (i.e., the citizens/lords of Shechem) have done the absurdity of trying to make the thornbush (i.e., Abimelek) their king, then perhaps fire will come out of the thornbush and consume the trees and forest!