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Judges 9:14

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Judges 9:14 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
Judges 9:14 — American Standard Version

Context — Judges 9

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
11But the fig-tree said unto them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?
12And the trees said unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
13And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?
14Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
15And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
16Now therefore, if ye have dealt truly and uprightly, 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(for my father fought for you, and adventured his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
← Judges 9:13Judges 9:15 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Then said all the trees unto the bramble, etc.] Perceiving they could not prevail upon any of the useful and fruitful trees to take the government of them, they unite in a request to a bramble, scarce to be called a tree, and however a very barren and fruitless one, yea, hurtful and distressing: come thou, and reign over us; this respects Abimelech, and describes him as a mean person, the son of a concubine, as having no goodness in him, not any good qualifications to recommend him to government, but all the reverse, cruel, tyrannical, and oppressive; and this exposes the folly of the Shechemites, and their eagerness to have a king at any rate, though ever so mean and despicable, useless and…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“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; 1 Kings 20:39-40. Judges 9:9 Honour God and man - Alluding to the constant use of oil in the meat-offerings Leviticus 2:1-16, and in the holy ointment Exodus 30:24-25. In like manner, the allusion in Judges 9:13 is to the drink-offerings of wine. See Leviticus 23:13; Numbers 15:10. Judges 9:14 The bramble - Said to be the Rhamnus Paliurus of Linnaeus, otherwise called Spina-Christi, or Christ’s Thorn, a shrub with sharp thorns. The application is obvious. The noble Gideon and his worthy sons had…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Bramble - Or, thorn, fitly representing Abimelech, the son of a concubine, and a person of small use, and great cruelty. Judges 9:15”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“bramble: or, thistle, Kg2 14:9 Judges 9:15”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification