Judges 9:7-21 - Have you been fair to Jerub-Baal

9:7-15

Jotham sought to make the people of Shechem aware of what the consequences would be. People get fooled. So Jotham told them a parable. The olive tree, the fig tree and the vine were noble trees, i.e. they were worth something. They refused to become king. Remember that Gideon himself had refused to rule over them (Judges 8:23). Finally the thornbush was asked to become king, and he accepted.  They ended up with the worst possible ruler, as had the people of Shechem.

9:16-21

Jotham then confronts the people directly with the choice they have made. He also accuses them of mistreating the memory of Gideon and his family. For all Gideon’s faults, he is still given a degree of honour and respect by the Bible. Jotham reminds them that Gideon led them to victory over the Midianites. They killed Gideon’s sons, in favour of the son of a slave girl. They did so for base reasons, Abimelek was one of their own. There are hints of the Barabas-Jesus situation here. Jotham concludes by warning that destruction for all concerned will be the outcome. At the end of it Jotham fled out of fear of his brother.