Judges 9 11

Judges 9:11 kjv

But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

Judges 9:11 nkjv

But the fig tree said to them, 'Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit, And go to sway over trees?'

Judges 9:11 niv

"But the fig tree replied, 'Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?'

Judges 9:11 esv

But the fig tree said to them, 'Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go hold sway over the trees?'

Judges 9:11 nlt

But the fig tree also refused, saying,
'Should I quit producing my sweet fruit
just to wave back and forth over the trees?'

Judges 9 verses

Judges 9 11 Meaning

Judges 9:11 is part of Jotham's Fable, delivered to the citizens of Shechem in response to their selection of Abimelech as king after he murdered Gideon's other sons. This particular verse details the fig tree's response when offered kingship over the other trees. The fig tree refuses, stating it will not abandon its purpose of bearing "my sweet fruit and my good fruit" (referring to its valued produce and beneficial nature) to merely "wave over the trees" (to rule over them in a manner that lacks productive service and signifies a pursuit of superficial power). It highlights a core tension between genuine usefulness and the empty allure of earthly dominion, preferring its God-given role of producing blessings.

Judges 9 11 Context

Judges chapter 9 recounts the aftermath of Gideon's death and introduces Abimelech, his son by a concubine from Shechem. Driven by ambition, Abimelech conspires with the leaders of Shechem and slaughters all of Gideon's seventy sons (save Jotham, the youngest, who escapes) to secure his rule. The citizens of Shechem then crown Abimelech king. It is in response to this atrocity and the choice of an unfit king that Jotham delivers his prophetic fable (Judges 9:7-15) from Mount Gerizim. The fable serves as a pointed critique of the people's folly in choosing a barren, destructive "bramble" (Abimelech) over the valuable, productive "trees" (Gideon's legitimate heirs, implicitly, and indeed, all beneficial leadership). Verse 11 specifically features the fig tree's rejection of kingship, emphasizing the value of its intrinsic purpose of producing nourishing fruit.

Historically, this period marks a transition in Israel's leadership, from charismatic judges appointed by God to a nascent desire for a king like surrounding nations. Jotham's fable, and the actions within Judges 9, prefigure the challenges and pitfalls of establishing human kingship without proper divine guidance or with the wrong character in charge. The cultural context reflects agricultural life, where the olive, fig, and vine were essential for sustenance, anointing, and celebration, making their symbolism instantly understandable to the original audience.

Judges 9 11 Word analysis

• Should I leave (הֶחָלֹק, he-khālōq): From the verb חָלַק (ḥālaq), meaning "to divide, share, separate, abandon." Here, it carries the sense of abandoning one's lot, purpose, or beneficial function. It highlights a deliberate choice to forsake something intrinsically valuable for an alternative.
• my sweet fruit (מַתְּקִי, mat-qī): From מָתָק (māthāq), meaning "to be sweet, pleasant." This refers specifically to the highly prized and delicious fruit of the fig tree. Symbolically, it points to the pleasant and beneficial products of its labor and its inherent value.
• and my good fruit (וְאֶת־טוּבִי, wə'et-ṭūḇī): From טוּב (ṭūḇ), meaning "goodness, best part, bounty, welfare." This expands beyond just taste to encompass all the general benefits and welfare that the fig tree provides. It's not just pleasant, but intrinsically good and beneficial for sustenance and well-being.
• and go to wave (לָלֶכֶת לָנוּעַ, lāleḵeṯ lānūa‘): לָלֶכֶת (lāleḵeṯ) is "to go, to walk." לָנוּעַ (lānūa‘) is "to sway, shake, totter, wave, reel, move to and fro." When combined, "to go to wave," it depicts the act of swaying or presiding over others. It suggests a form of rule that might be unsteady, lacking firm foundation, or merely ornamental, rather than substantial or beneficial. It also evokes the movement of branches in the wind, a contrast to the stable roots and productive branches of a fruit tree.
• over the trees? (עַל־הָעֵצִים, ‘al-hā‘ēṣīm): "Over the trees" denotes a position of authority or dominion. The question form implies a rhetorical choice – why would something so productive and valuable give up its core identity for a superficial position over those it naturally benefits?
• Words-group analysis:
  • "Should I leave my sweet fruit and my good fruit": This phrase strongly emphasizes the fig tree's internal value and purpose. Its very essence is tied to bearing this sweet and beneficial fruit. To "leave" it implies a profound betrayal of its nature and utility. The fig tree views its identity and contribution as intertwined with its produce. This choice highlights the intrinsic value of humility and productive service.
  • "and go to wave over the trees?": This phrase contrasts sharply with the former. The act of "waving over" is a function of outward authority or spectacle, rather than an act of internal production or genuine service. It symbolizes a pursuit of prestige and control that offers no benefit comparable to its natural function. This captures the empty and unproductive nature of kingship, especially when pursued for personal gain.

Judges 9 11 Bonus section

The repeated motif of valuable trees (olive, fig, vine) refusing kingship while the worthless bramble eagerly accepts is central to Jotham's powerful allegory. This highlights several additional points:

• God's view of earthly kingship: The initial hesitation or refusal of the olive, fig, and vine reflects a divine reservation regarding human kingship as preferred by men over God's direct rule. These productive trees are content with their God-given role and see worldly power as a diversion or even a diminishment of their true value.
• The true source of blessing: The fruits and oil and wine are presented as things "by which God is honored and man rejoices." This reinforces the idea that true blessedness comes through fulfilling one's divine purpose in a way that blesses God and serves humanity, not through grasping for authority or self-exaltation.
• Abimelech as the "bramble": The bramble, unlike the fig tree, produces no useful fruit. It is prickly, burns easily, and provides only a transient, dangerous shade. This directly corresponds to Abimelech's character – ruthless, destructive, providing only a nominal "rule" that ultimately brought ruin upon Shechem and himself (Judg 9:20, 9:56-57). The acceptance of kingship by the useless bramble emphasizes the tragic irony and folly of the people of Shechem choosing such a leader over productive, God-fearing alternatives.

Judges 9 11 Commentary

Judges 9:11 articulates a profound truth through the refusal of the fig tree. Like the olive and the vine before it, the fig tree understands its true value and divine calling: to produce "sweet fruit and good fruit" that benefits both God and mankind. Its purpose is rooted in being productive, providing sustenance, joy, and spiritual blessing (fig leaves as clothing, a symbol of wisdom and peace in the land). To abandon this fruitful calling for the sake of merely "waving over the trees" – a metaphor for ruling – represents a forsaking of its essence for a role that, in Jotham's fable, offers no productive benefit and often leads to destruction (as with Abimelech, the bramble).

The fig tree's refusal serves as a polemic against the type of worldly leadership that values power and position above beneficial service. It warns against a kingship devoid of the "sweet" and "good" fruits of justice, peace, and divine blessing. Jotham implies that true greatness lies not in lording over others, but in fruitful contribution, living out one's intended purpose to the glory of God and the benefit of one's community. This contrasts the Israelites' later demand for a king like other nations, often resulting in rulers who, like the bramble, only provided shade (temporary protection) while eventually consuming those beneath them (through taxation, oppression, and war). The fable underscores that true wisdom lies in knowing one's purpose and sticking to it, rather than grasping for earthly power that may lead to destruction.