6. And all the citizens of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of Millo, and went and made Abimelech king, by the memorial-oak that is in Shechem.
7. And they told it to Jotham, and he went and stood on the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said to them, Hearken to me, ye citizens of Shechem, that God may hearken to you.
8. The trees once went forth to anoint a king over them; and they said to the olive-tree, Reign over us.
9. And the olive-tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to wave over the trees?
10. And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, reign over us.
11. But the fig-tree said to them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave over the trees?
12. Then said the trees to the vine, Come thou, reign over us.
13. And the vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave over the trees?
14. Then said all the trees to the thorn-bush, Come thou, reign over us.
15. And the thorn-bush said to the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, come, put confidence in my shadow; but if not, fire shall come out of the thorn-bush and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
16. Now therefore, if ye have dealt truly and sincerely in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and if ye have done to him according to the deserving of his hands;
17. --for my father fought for you, and endangered his life, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian;
18. but ye are risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy men, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his handmaid, king over the citizens of Shechem, because he is your brother;
19. --if ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you;
20. but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the citizens of Shechem and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the citizens of Shechem and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.
21. And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there, because of Abimelech his brother.