King James Version
What Does Judges 9:14 Mean?
“Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. bramble: or, thistle”
Context
12
Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
13
And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
14
Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. bramble: or, thistle
15
And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
16
Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(14) **Unto the bramble.**—Despairing of their best, they avail themselves of the unscrupulous ambition of their worst. The bramble—*atad*—is rather the rhamnus, or buckthorn, which Dioscorides calls the *Cartha ginian atadin. *There seems to be an echo of this fable in Æsop’s fable of the fox and the thorn, where the fox is dreadfully rent by taking hold of the thorn to save himself from a fall, and the thorn asks him what else he could expect.
**Reign over us.**—They seem to address the thorn in a less ceremonious imperative—not *mālekah, *as to the olive, or *mūlekî, *as to the fig-tree and vine, but a mere blunt *melāk!*
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Judges. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Judges 9:14 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to Judges 9:14
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge