14. Finally, all the trees said to the bramble,“Come and reign over us.”
15. The bramble said to the trees,“If you really are anointing meas king over you,come and find refuge in my shade.But if not,may fire come out from the brambleand consume the cedars of Lebanon.”
16. “Now if you have acted faithfully and honestly in making Abimelech king, if you have done well by Jerubbaal and his family, and if you have rewarded him appropriately for what he did —
17. for my father fought for you, risked his life, and delivered you from the hand of Midian,
18. and now you have attacked my father’s house today, killed his 70 sons on top of a large stone, and made Abimelech, the son of his slave, king over the lords of Shechem ‘because he is your brother’ —
19. if then you have acted faithfully and honestly with Jerubbaal and his house this day, rejoice in Abimelech and may he also rejoice in you.
20. But if not, may fire come from Abimelech and consume the lords of Shechem and Beth-millo, and may fire come from the lords of Shechem and Beth-millo and consume Abimelech.”
21. Then Jotham fled, escaping to Beer, and lived there because of his brother Abimelech.
22. When Abimelech had ruled over Israel three years,
23. God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem. They treated Abimelech deceitfully,
24. so that the crime against the 70 sons of Jerubbaal might come to justice and their blood would be avenged on their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and on the lords of Shechem, who had helped him kill his brothers.