10. Then they asked the fig tree,“Will you be our king?”
11. But the fig tree replied,“I won't stop growingmy delicious fruit,just so my branches can waveabove the other trees.”
12. Next they asked the grapevine,“Will you be our king?”
13. But the grapevine replied,“My wine brings cheerto people and gods.I won't stop making wine,just so my branches can waveabove the other trees.”
14. Finally, they wentto the thorn bush and asked,“Will you be our king?”
15. The thorn bush replied,“If you really want meto be your king,then come into my shadeand I will protect you.But if you're deceiving me,I'll start a firethat will spread out and destroythe cedars of Lebanon.”After Jotham had finished telling this story, he said:
19. So, you leaders of Shechem, if you treated Gideon and his family the way you should have, then I hope you and Abimelech will make each other very happy.
20. But if it was wrong to treat Gideon and his family the way you did, then I pray that Abimelech will destroy you with fire, and I pray that you will do the same to him.
21. Jotham ran off and went to live in the town of Beer, where he could be safe from his brother Abimelech.
22. Abimelech had been a military commander of Israel for three years,