Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’ New Living Translation “Then they said to the grapevine, ‘You be our king!’ English Standard Version And the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’ Berean Standard Bible Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and reign over us.’ King James Bible Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. New King James Version “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us!’ New American Standard Bible Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You, come, reign over us!’ NASB 1995 “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come, reign over us!’ NASB 1977 “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come, reign over us!’ Legacy Standard Bible Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come, reign over us!’ Amplified Bible Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’ Christian Standard Bible Later, the trees said to the grapevine, “Come and reign over us.” Holman Christian Standard Bible Later, the trees said to the grapevine,” Come and reign over us.” American Standard Version And the trees said unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. Contemporary English Version Next they asked the grape vine, "Will you be our king?" English Revised Version And the trees said unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. GOD'S WORD® Translation Then the trees said to the grapevine, 'You come and be our king!' Good News Translation So the trees then said to the grapevine, 'You come and be our king.' International Standard Version "So the trees told the grape vine, 'Hey you! Come and reign over us!' NET Bible "So the trees said to the grapevine, 'You come and be our king!' New Heart English Bible "The trees said to the vine, 'Come, and reign over us.' Webster's Bible Translation Then said the trees to the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThen the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and reign over us.’ World English Bible “The trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’ Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd the trees say to the vine, Come, reign over us. Young's Literal Translation 'And the trees say to the vine, Come thou, reign over us. Smith's Literal Translation And the trees will say to the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd the trees said to the vine: Come thou and reign over us. Catholic Public Domain Version And the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’ New American Bible Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come you, reign over us.’ New Revised Standard Version Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’ Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThen the trees said to the vine, Come you, and reign over us. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated The trees said to the vine: ‘You come reign over us!’ OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And the trees said unto the vine: Come thou, and reign over us. Brenton Septuagint Translation And the trees said to the vine, Come, reign over us. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Jotham's Parable…11But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my sweetness and my good fruit, to hold sway over the trees?’ 12Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and reign over us.’ 13But the grapevine replied, ‘Should I stop giving my wine that cheers both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’… Cross References Matthew 21:33-41 Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. / When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit. / But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. ... Isaiah 5:1-7 I will sing for my beloved a song of his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. / He dug it up and cleared the stones and planted the finest vines. He built a watchtower in the middle and dug out a winepress as well. He waited for the vineyard to yield good grapes, but the fruit it produced was sour! / “And now, O dwellers of Jerusalem and men of Judah, I exhort you to judge between Me and My vineyard. ... Luke 20:9-16 Then He proceeded to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it out to some tenants, and went away for a long time. / At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat the servant and sent him away empty-handed. / So he sent another servant, but they beat him and treated him shamefully, sending him away empty-handed. ... John 15:1-8 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard. / He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful. / You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ... Psalm 80:8-16 You uprooted a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and transplanted it. / You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. / The mountains were covered by its shade, and the mighty cedars with its branches. ... Ezekiel 15:1-8 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, / “Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any other branch among the trees in the forest? / Can wood be taken from it to make something useful? Or can one make from it a peg on which to hang utensils? ... Romans 11:17-24 Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root, / do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. / You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” ... Hosea 10:1 Israel was a luxuriant vine, yielding fruit for himself. The more his fruit increased, the more he increased the altars. The better his land produced, the better he made the sacred pillars. Mark 12:1-9 Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey. / At harvest time, he sent a servant to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. / But they seized the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. ... Jeremiah 2:21 I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine? Deuteronomy 32:32-33 But their vine is from the vine of Sodom and from the fields of Gomorrah. Their grapes are poisonous; their clusters are bitter. / Their wine is the venom of serpents, the deadly poison of cobras. Isaiah 27:2-6 In that day: “Sing about a fruitful vineyard. / I, the LORD, am its keeper; I water it continually. I guard it night and day so no one can disturb it; / I am not angry. If only thorns and briers confronted Me, I would march and trample them, I would burn them to the ground. ... 1 Kings 4:25 Throughout the days of Solomon, Judah and Israel dwelt securely from Dan to Beersheba, each man under his own vine and his own fig tree. Micah 4:4 And each man will sit under his own vine and under his own fig tree, with no one to frighten him. For the mouth of the LORD of Hosts has spoken. Zechariah 3:10 On that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, you will each invite your neighbor to sit under your own vine and fig tree.’” Treasury of Scripture Then said the trees to the vine, Come you, and reign over us. Jump to Previous Reign Trees VineJump to Next Reign Trees VineJudges 9 1. Abimelech by conspiracy with the Shechemites, and murder of his brothers, is made king7. Jotham by a parable rebukes them, and foretells their ruin 22. Gaal conspires with the Shechemites against him 30. Zebul reveals it 34. Abimelech overcomes them, and sows the city with salt 46. He burns the hold of the god Berith 50. At Thebez he is slain by a piece of a millstone 56. Jotham's curse is fulfilled. Then the trees said to the grapevine In the parable of Jotham, the trees represent the people of Shechem and the leaders of Israel. The grapevine, or vine, is symbolic of fruitfulness and abundance, often associated with Israel itself (Psalm 80:8-16). The vine is a plant that requires support, indicating a need for cooperation and community. This request reflects the people's desire for a leader who can provide prosperity and stability, much like the vine provides sustenance through its fruit. ‘Come and reign over us.’ Persons / Places / Events 1. The TreesIn this parable, the trees represent the people of Shechem seeking a leader. The trees symbolize the various tribes or groups within Israel looking for governance. 2. The Vine The vine in the parable represents a potential leader. In the context of the parable, it symbolizes someone who is productive and fruitful, yet hesitant to leave its purpose to rule over others. 3. Jotham The speaker of the parable, Jotham, is the youngest son of Gideon (Jerubbaal) who survived the massacre of his brothers by Abimelech. He uses this parable to warn the people of Shechem about the dangers of choosing Abimelech as their king. 4. Shechem A significant city in the hill country of Ephraim, where the events of Judges 9 unfold. It is a place of covenant renewal and later becomes a site of conflict and betrayal. 5. Abimelech The son of Gideon and a concubine from Shechem, who seeks to become king by eliminating his brothers. He is the central figure of the chapter, representing ambition and treachery. Teaching Points The Dangers of AmbitionThe parable warns against the pursuit of power for selfish reasons. True leadership should be about serving others, not self-promotion. The Value of Purpose The vine's reluctance to rule highlights the importance of fulfilling one's God-given purpose. We should be cautious about abandoning our calling for roles that may seem more prestigious. Discernment in Leadership The people of Shechem's choice of Abimelech serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of discerning character and motives in those we choose to lead us. Consequences of Poor Choices The events following the parable illustrate the destructive outcomes of choosing leaders based on ambition rather than integrity and godliness. God's Sovereignty Despite human choices, God's purposes prevail. The account of Abimelech ultimately demonstrates that God is in control and will bring justice. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Judges 9:12?2. How does Judges 9:12 illustrate the consequences of poor leadership choices? 3. What lessons about leadership can we learn from Judges 9:12? 4. How does Judges 9:12 connect to the broader narrative of Judges? 5. How can we apply the teachings of Judges 9:12 in our communities today? 6. What does Judges 9:12 reveal about God's expectations for leaders? 7. What is the significance of the trees speaking in Judges 9:12? 8. How does Judges 9:12 fit into the overall narrative of Judges? 9. What is the theological message of the parable in Judges 9:12? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Judges 9? 11. Who was Abimelech, son of Gideon, in the Bible? 12. Who was Abimelech in the Bible? 13. What are the genealogies and reigns of Israel's leaders? 14. What is the chronological order of events in the Bible? What Does Judges 9:12 Mean Then the trees said- Jotham’s parable (Judges 9:7–8) pictures “trees” as Israel’s leaders, people who should have been rooted in God’s covenant but are instead shopping for a king. - Scripture often uses trees to symbolize rulers or nations (Ezekiel 17:24; Isaiah 55:12). - Their collective voice hints at peer pressure: when a crowd speaks, individuals can forget to seek God first (cf. 1 Samuel 8:6 “Give us a king to judge us!”). - By recording the story, Scripture underscores that every human proposal for leadership must answer to divine authority (Psalm 75:7). to the grapevine - Earlier offers went to the olive tree and the fig tree (Judges 9:9–10). Both declined. Turning to the vine shows the trees lowering their standards step-by-step. - In Israel, the vine is prized for its fruit but fragile without a support. It illustrates productivity yet dependency (Psalm 80:8 “You brought a vine out of Egypt…”). - God later calls His covenant people a vineyard that should bear good grapes (Isaiah 5:1-4). By aiming at the vine, the trees seek fruitfulness, not necessarily righteousness. - New-Testament light: Jesus declares, “I am the true vine” (John 15:1). Israel’s leaders were reaching for fruit that only the Lord Himself would finally supply. Come - The invitation sounds warm, even flattering, but it is also manipulative: “Fill our need; satisfy our agenda.” - Throughout Scripture, God warns against rushing after visible solutions before consulting Him (Deuteronomy 17:14-15; Proverbs 3:5-6). - Discipleship truth: God calls His people to come to Him first (Matthew 11:28). Any earthly “come” that precedes that divine call risks idolatry. and reign over us - Rule belongs to the Lord alone (Psalm 103:19). Yet fallen hearts keep outsourcing sovereignty. - Israel had tried this before with Gideon: “Rule over us” (Judges 8:22). Gideon answered rightly, “The LORD will rule over you” (Judges 8:23). - The grapevine answers later in verse 13, refusing the crown. Even a plant in a fable knows it would lose its purpose by trading fruitfulness for power. - The lesson echoes 1 Samuel 8:19-20, where Israel insists, “We want a king.” God allowed their demand, but the cost was heavy taxation, conscription, and spiritual drift. summary Each phrase in Judges 9:12 exposes the restless human impulse to seek leadership apart from God. The “trees” (leaders) pursue a “grapevine” (fruitfulness) to “come” and “reign,” forgetting that true governance and lasting fruit flow only from the Lord. The verse warns believers to prize divine authority over popular demand and to measure every earthly ruler against the righteous, life-giving Kingship of God Himself. (12) Unto the vine.--We might have felt surprise that the vine was not the first choice, but the low-growing, trellised vine, which needs support for its own tendrils, might seem less suitable. Indeed, ancient nations talked of the female vine--"Or they led the vine To wed her elm; she round about him flings Her marriageable arms," &c.--Milton. |
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