Jotham

1Abimelech was a son of Jerubbaal. He went to Shechem to see his mother's brothers. He talked with them and with all his mother's family.

And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying,

NoteJerubbaal is another name for Gideon, a leader God had used to save Israel. Shechem was a town where Abimelech's mother's family lived.

2He said, "Ask the leaders of Shechem a question. Is it better for seventy sons of Jerubbaal to rule you, or one man? Remember, I am your own family."

Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.

NoteIn those days a man could have several wives and many sons. That is how Gideon had seventy sons.

3His mother's brothers said all this to the leaders of Shechem. The leaders decided to follow Abimelech. They said, "He is our own relative."

And his mother’s brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.

4They took seventy pieces of silver from the temple of the god Baal-berith. They gave the silver to Abimelech. He used it to hire rough, worthless men who followed him.

And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons, which followed him.

NoteThere were no coins yet. People weighed out pieces of silver to pay for things.

5He went to his father's house at Ophrah. There he killed his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, on one stone. But the youngest brother, Jotham, hid himself and lived.

And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.

NoteOphrah was the town where Gideon lived. Killing the brothers on one stone meant it was planned, not an accident.

6All the leaders of Shechem and of Beth-millo came together. They met by the big tree beside the stone pillar in Shechem. There they made Abimelech their king.

And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar that was in Shechem.

NoteA king was a ruler for life, and his son ruled after him. Beth-millo was a strong part of the town. The big tree and stone pillar marked the place where people met for important things.

7Someone told Jotham what had happened. He climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim. He shouted, "Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, so that God will listen to you."

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 unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.

NoteMount Gerizim rises right above Shechem. A person could stand up there and shout down to the town.

8"One day the trees went out to choose a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, "Come and be our king."

The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

NoteJotham is telling a made-up story about talking trees. He wants the people to hear themselves in it. To anoint a king meant pouring olive oil on his head to show he was chosen.

9"But the olive tree said, "My oil honors God and people. Should I stop making it, just to wave over the trees?"

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?

NoteOlive oil was used for cooking, for lamps, and for anointing. It was one of the most useful things people had.

10"Then the trees said to the fig tree, "Come and be our king."

And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.

11"But the fig tree said, "My fruit is sweet and good. Should I stop making it, just to wave over the trees?"

But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

NoteFigs are small sweet fruits. They were an everyday food.

12"Then the trees said to the grapevine, "Come and be our king."

Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.

13"But the grapevine said, "My wine makes God and people glad. Should I stop making it, just to wave over the trees?"

And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

NoteWine is a drink made from grapes. People drank it at happy meals and feasts.

14"At last all the trees said to the thornbush, "Come and be our king."

Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

NoteA thornbush is a low, prickly plant. It has no fruit and gives almost no shade. Asking it to be king is a joke.

15"The thornbush said, "If you really want me as king, come and rest in my shade. If not, may fire come out of me. May it burn up even the great cedar trees of Lebanon."

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.

NoteCedars of Lebanon were huge, tall trees. They were the finest trees anyone knew. A little dry thornbush catches fire easily, so its threat is scary and silly at once.

16"Now think about what you did. Were you honest and fair when you made Abimelech king? Did you treat Jerubbaal and his family the way they deserved?

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;

17"My father fought for you. He risked his own life. He saved you from the army of Midian.

(For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:

NoteMidian was a desert people who came and stole Israel's crops. Gideon, Jotham's father, drove them away.

18"But today you turned against my father's family. You killed his seventy sons on one stone. You made Abimelech king over Shechem, only because his mother was a servant here and he is your relative.

And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)

NoteA maidservant was a woman who worked in someone's house. Her son was not treated as highly as the other sons.

19"If you have been honest and fair with Jerubbaal and his family today, then be happy with Abimelech. And let him be happy with you.

If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:

20"But if not, may fire come out of Abimelech and burn up the leaders of Shechem and Beth-millo. And may fire come out of them and burn up Abimelech."

But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.

NoteJotham is not lighting a real fire. He is wishing out loud that they will destroy each other.

21Then Jotham ran away. He escaped to a place called Beer and lived there. He was afraid of his brother Abimelech.

And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.

NoteBeer was a town far enough away to be safe. We do not know exactly where it was.

52Abimelech came to the tower and attacked it. He went close to the door to set it on fire.

And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

53A woman dropped a piece of a millstone on his head. It crushed his skull.

And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech’s head, and all to brake his skull.

NoteA millstone is a heavy round stone used to grind grain into flour. The top stone was small enough for a woman to lift. Roofs were flat, so people worked up there.

54He quickly called the young man who carried his weapons. He said, "Take your sword and kill me. I do not want people to say a woman killed me." So the young man ran him through, and he died.

Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A woman slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

NoteAn armor bearer was a young man who carried a soldier's shield and weapons. In those days a soldier felt shamed if a woman beat him in a fight.

55When the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home.

And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they departed every man unto his place.

56So God paid Abimelech back for the evil he had done to his father. He had killed his seventy brothers.

Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto his father, in slaying his seventy brethren:

57God also paid back the men of Shechem for all their evil. The curse that Jotham son of Jerubbaal spoke came true for them.

And all the evil of the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

NoteA curse was a strong wish for bad things to happen. Jotham had spoken his curse from the mountain.