9. But the olive-tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, with which by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
10. And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, and reign over us.
11. But the fig-tree said to them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?
12. Then said the trees to the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.
13. And the vine said to them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?
14. Then said all the trees to the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.
15. And the bramble said to 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.
16. 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 to him according to the deserving of his hands:
17. (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you from the hand of Midian:
18. And ye have risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons, seventy persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maid-servant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother:)