Judges 9:15

13 And the vine said unto 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 unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

And the bramble said unto 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 unto him according to the deserving of his hands;

17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
But the thornbush replied, ‘If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’
KJV
And the bramble said unto 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.
WEB
“The bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’
ASV
And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
DARBY
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.
BLB
And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in truth you⁺ anoint me as king over you⁺, come, take refuge in my shade. But if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’
ÅB
Og tornebusken sa til trærne: Dersom det er deres oppriktige mening at dere vil salve meg til konge over dere, da kom og søk ly i min skygge! Men hvis ikke, da skal det utgå ild fra tornebusken og fortære Libanons sedertrær.
OTB
Tornebusken sa til trærne: 'Hvis dere virkelig salver meg som konge over dere, kom og søk ly i min skygge; men hvis ikke, la ild komme ut av tornebusken og fortære Libanons sedrer.'
B1930
Og tornebusken sa til trærne: Dersom det er eders opriktige mening at I vil salve mig til konge over eder, da kom og søk ly i min skygge! Men hvis ikke, da skal det utgå ild fra tornebusken og fortære Libanons sedertrær.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Isaiah 30:2

    That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!

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  • Isaiah 2:13

    And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan,

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  • Judges 9:20

    But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.

    Read in context
  • Hosea 14:7

    They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 37:24

    By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel.

    Read in context
  • Daniel 4:12

    The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it.

    Read in context
  • 2 Kings 14:9

    And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

    Read in context
  • Ezekiel 19:14

    And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.

    Read in context