Study Desk

And, when it was told Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried aloud, - and said unto them - Hearken unto me, ye owners of Shechem, and may God, hearken unto you.

The trees, went their way, to anoint over them, a king, - and they said unto the olive tree - Reign thou over us.

But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, which, in me, gods and men do honour, - and go to wave to and fro, over the trees?

Then said the trees unto the fig-tree, - Come! thou reign over us.

But the fig-tree said unto them, Should I leave my sweetness, and mine excellent increase, - and go to wave to and fro, over the trees?

Then said the trees unto the vine, - Come! thou, reign over us.

But the vine said unto them, Should I leave my new wine, that rejoiceth gods and men, - and go to wave to and fro, over the trees?

Then said all the trees, unto the bramble, - Come, thou, to reign over us.

And the bramble said unto the trees, If, in truth, ye are about to anoint me to be king over you, come, take refuge in my shade, - but, if not, there shall come forth fire out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

Now, therefore, if, in truth and sincerity, ye have acted, in making Abimelech king, - and if ye have dealt, well, with Jerubbaal and with his house, and if, according to the deserving of his hands, ye have done unto him;

in that my father fought for you, and cast his soul away from before him, and rescued you out of the hand of Midian; -

yet have, ye, risen up against the house of my father, to-day, and slain his sons - seventy men, upon one stone, - and made Abimelech, son of his maidservant, king over the owners of Shechem, because he is, your brother;

if then, in truth and in sincerity, ye have dealt with Jerubbaal and with his house, this day, rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let, him also, rejoice in you;

but, if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the owners of Shechem, and the house of Millo, - and let fire come out from the owners of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech!

And Jotham hasted away, and fled, and went to Beer, - and dwelt there, away from the face of Abimelech his brother.