9. “But the olive tree said, ‘My oil is used to honor gods and humans. Should I stop making my oil just to go and sway over the other trees?’
10. “Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’
11. “But the fig tree answered, ‘Should I stop making my good, sweet fruit just to go and sway over the other trees?’
12. “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’
13. “But the vine answered, ‘My wine makes men and kings happy. Should I stop making my wine just to go and sway over the trees?’
14. “Finally, all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’
15. “But the thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to make me king over you, come and find shelter in my shade. But if you don’t want to do this, let fire come out of the thornbush. Let the fire burn even the cedar trees of Lebanon.’
16. “Now if you were completely honest when you made Abimelech king, may you be happy with him. And if you have been fair to Gideon and his family, and if you have treated him as you should, this is also good.
17. But remember what my father did for you. He fought for you and risked his life when he saved you from the Midianites.
18. But now you have turned against my father’s family. You have killed 70 of his sons all at the same time. You made Abimelech the new king over the city of Shechem. He is only the son of my father’s slave girl. But you made him king because he is your relative.
19. So if you have been completely honest to Gideon and his family today, then may you be happy with Abimelech as your king. And may he be happy with you.
20. But leaders of Shechem and the house of Millo, if you have not acted right, may Abimelech destroy you. And may Abimelech be destroyed too!”
21. After Jotham had said this, he ran away and escaped to the city named Beer. He stayed there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech.
22. Abimelech ruled the Israelites for three years.
23-24. Abimelech had killed Gideon’s 70 sons—and they were his own brothers. The leaders of Shechem had supported him in doing this evil thing. So God caused trouble between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. And they began planning ways to hurt Abimelech.
25. The leaders of the city of Shechem did not like Abimelech anymore. They put men on the hilltops to attack and rob everyone who went by. Abimelech found out about the attacks.
26. A man named Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers moved to the city of Shechem. The leaders of the city of Shechem decided to trust and follow Gaal.
27. One day the people of Shechem went out to the vineyards to pick grapes. They squeezed the grapes to make wine. And then they had a party at the temple of their god. The people ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.
28. Then Gaal son of Ebed said, “We are the men of Shechem. Why should we obey Abimelech? Who does he think he is? Abimelech is one of Gideon’s sons, right? And Abimelech made Zebul his officer, right? We should not obey Abimelech. We should follow our own people, men from Hamor. (Hamor was the father of Shechem.)
29. If you make me the commander of these people, I will destroy Abimelech. I will say to him, ‘Get your army ready and come out to battle.’”
30. Zebul was the governor of the city of Shechem. Zebul heard what Gaal son of Ebed said, and he became very angry.