“ And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us. ”
This fable and that noted in the marginal reference are the only two of the kind found in Scripture. Somewhat different are the parables of the Old Testament, 2 Samuel 12:1-4 ; 2 Samuel 14:5-11 ;...
Jotham's Fable. Only in an apologue could Jotham, the sole survivor of Abimelech's massacre, express what was in his bitter, broken heart. The point of his fable is easily caught. His father and hi...
the fig tree. Israel's national privileges ( Matthew 21:19 ; Matthew 21:20 ; Mark 11:13 ; Mark 11:20 ; Mark 11:21 . Luke 13:6-9 ; Luke 13:6-9 ).
DISCOURSE: 271 JOTHAM’S PARABLE Judges 9:7-15 . And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of Mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken un...
And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? No JFB commentary on these verses.
The Story of Abimelech This chapter breaks the regular order of the book, since Abimelech is not thought of as a judge, and the Canaanites are not here regarded as oppressors. The story, however,...
The fig tree. — The luscious fruit and broad green shade of the ancient fig would naturally make it the next choice; but it returns the same scornful answer.
the Bramble King Judges 9:7-21 Men must have leadership. The reason lies deep in human nature. The French Revolutionaries destroyed the royal family, but Robespierre, Danton and Marat were prac...
The closing statement of the previous chapter constitutes the introduction to this. The words, "As soon as Gideon was dead" and the declaration that then the people returned to evil courses reveal, f...
It was a very favorite way in the Eastern world, to deliver weighty subjects by parable. And hence, in accommodation to this general mode of instruction, our adorable Redeemer chiefly delivered his p...
And the trees said to the fig tree ,.... Another useful and fruit bearing tree, and to which also good men are sometimes compared, see Song of Solomon 2:13 , come thou, and reign over us : which...
And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, [and] reign over us. Ver. 10. And the trees said to the fig tree. ] By the fig tree the Jewish doctors understand Deborah, as by the olive tree Othni...
ABIMELECH'SCONSPIRACY (vv. 1-6). Abimelech did not only forget his father's example, but deliberately chose a contrary path of proud self-pleasing. He wanted to rule over Israel and recognized t...
Jotham's Parable. B. C. 1209. 7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood i...
This, as also the vine, Judges 9:12 , signifies the same thing with the olive tree; but here are various expressions used, either for the decency of the parable; or because Gideon refused this hon...
“And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.' And the fig tree said to them, ‘Should I forsake my sweetness and my good fruit and go to wave to and fro over the trees?' ” The f...
ABIMELECH MADE KING Judges 9:1-21 CRITICAL NOTES.— Judges 9:1 . And Abimelech .] Some little time may have elapsed after Gideon’s death, so that the air was again filled with tendencies to i...
Judges 9:8-15 I. From the answer of the olive tree we learn that usefulness is better than honour. Usefulness, if it be of the higher kind, is attained through long growing and long striving. But...
Judges 9:4 . Baal-berith. Berith signifies a covenant, which those bad people had made with Baal. The Greeks had their ζευς ορκιος, their Jupiter, or their Baal, to which they made vows. Judges...
Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal. The election of the usurper to be king I. Contrasts in the history of God’s own people. After Gideon--Abimelech! II. The best of fathers may have the worst of...
EXPOSITION Judges 9:7 On the top of Mount Gerizim . Mount Gerizim rises on the south-west side of Samaria or Shechem as a sheer rock about 800 feet in height, facing Mount Ebal, which is s...
The Parable of Jotham
Judges 9:10
Fig — tree — Gideon refused this honour, both for himself, and for his sons; and the sons of Gideon, whom Abimelech had slain, upon pretence of their affecting the kingdom, were as far from such th...