8. One day the trees decided to appoint a king to rule over them. They said to the olive tree, ‘You be king over us!’
9. “But the olive tree said, ‘Men and gods are honored by my oil. Should I stop making it and go and sway over the other trees?’
10. “Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be king over us!’
11. “But the fig tree answered, ‘Should I stop making my sweet and good fruit and go and sway over the other trees?’
12. “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be king over us!’
13. “But the vine answered, ‘My new wine makes men and gods happy. Should I stop making it and go and sway over the trees?’
14. “Then all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be king over us.’
15. “But the thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to appoint me king over you, come and find shelter in my shade! But if not, let fire come out of the thornbush and burn up the cedars of Lebanon!’
16. “Now, were you completely honest and sincere when you made Abimelech king? Have you been fair to Gideon and his family? Have you treated Gideon as you should?
17. Remember, my father fought for you and risked his life to save you from the power of the Midianites.
18. But now you have turned against my father’s family and have killed his seventy sons on one stone. You have made Abimelech, the son of my father’s slave girl, king over the leaders of Shechem just because he is your relative!
19. So then, if you have been honest and sincere to Gideon and his family today, be happy with Abimelech as your king. And may he be happy with you!
20. But if not, may fire come out of Abimelech and completely burn you leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo! Also may fire come out of the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo and burn up Abimelech!”
21. Then Jotham ran away and escaped to the city of Beer. He lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelech.
22. Abimelech ruled Israel for three years.
23. Then God sent an evil spirit to make trouble between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem so that the leaders of Shechem turned against him.
24. Abimelech had killed Gideon’s seventy sons, his own brothers, and the leaders of Shechem had helped him. So God sent the evil spirit to punish them.
25. The leaders of Shechem were against Abimelech then. They put men on the hilltops in ambush who robbed everyone going by. And Abimelech was told.
26. A man named Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers moved into Shechem, and the leaders of Shechem trusted him.