Juízes 9
John Gill · Citado em PreceptAustin
Juízes 9
Gill: this respects Abimelech, and describes him as a mean person, the son of a concubine, as having no goodness in him, not any good qualifications to recommend him to government, but all the reverse, cruel, tyrannical, and oppressive; and this exposes the folly of the Shechemites, and their eagerness to have a king at any rate, though ever so mean and despicable, useless and pernicious. George Bush - The meanest and most worthless of trees, and fit only to be burned, though capable of annoyance from being armed with prickly spikes. The original אטד atad, translated ‘thorns’ in Ps. 58:9, and rendered rhamnus, in the Vulgate, is supposed to have been a species of buckthorn, a native of Syria and Palestine, whence it migrated into Europe in the reign of Augustus Cæsar. Many of the buckthorn family are remarkable for the length and abundance of their spines, and for the very combustible nature of their wood, which probably suggested the idea of the ‘fire’ that was to come forth and consume the disaffected. It is a proper emblem of a base-born, impious, cruel, and oppressive king. (Judges 9 Commentary) A R Fausset - Then said all [‘all’ is not in verses 8, 10, 12; for the bramble did not join the trees in offering the kingdom to the olive, the fig, and the vine. But all the trees were unanimous in offering it to the bramble: not one of them wished it for himself except the bramble] the trees unto the bramble [not our trailing blackberry, but the Paliurus rhamnus aculeatus, a low stunted tree, with drooping jagged branches and sharp thick thorns, affording no shade: only scratching those who touch it: fit emblem of the base-born, self-important, mischievous Abimelech, who accepted the kingdom to the ruin of the offerers; whereas the noble Gideon and his sons declined it], Come thou, (and) reign over us Judges 9:15 "And the bramble said to the trees, 'If in truth you are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.' come and take refuge in my shade: Isa 30:2 Da 4:12 Ho 14:7 Mt 13:32 if not, may fire come out from the bramble Jdg 9:20,49 Nu 21:28 Isa 1:31 Eze 19:14 and consume the cedars of Lebanon: 2Ki 14:9 Ps 104:16 Isa 2:13 37:24 Eze 31:3 Judges 9 Resources TAKE REFUGE OR BE BURNED And the bramble said to the trees, 'If in truth you are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade: Take refuge conveys the idea of confiding in another or putting one's trust in them (in this case Abimelech)! What a biting sarcastic and satirical goad this must have been to Jotham's listeners! A thornbush proving shade! Ridiculous! Come take refuge in a thorny bramble bush that is only good to be burned up! Abimelech, like a bramble, could offer no real security to the people of Shechem and in fact he would be both the cause and the means of their destruction (Jdg 9:42-49, 57). The statement reflects the bramble's arrogance, for it could not provide significant shade. Futhermore, Shade is a metaphor in the Hebrew Bible and in ancient Near Eastern literature for a ruler's sovereign authority and protection. Gary Inrig: Verse 15 is filled with sarcasm. - "Imagine a bramble king! It was the most worthless tree imaginable, but it had delusions of grandeur. It willingly accepted the offer and loudly called the other trees to take refuge in its shade. What shade can a bramble bush offer a cedar of Lebanon? Jotham’s point is obvious. When they crowned Abimelech, they were choosing an absolutely worthless man. He could not give them the protection they wanted. Besides, he was dangerous, and he would destroy them." (Borrow Hearts of Iron, Feet of Clay) But if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon: Often in the summer, fires would break out in the bramble bushes and spread quickly through these thorn bushes. Furthermore, these fires would spread and threaten the safety of the valuable trees. The phrase “cedars of Lebanon” could represent the leading citizens of the city, who had supported Abimelech’s rule (Jdg 9:20). Bush on may fire come out from the bramble - Understood as a prophecy, the meaning is, that the man represented by the bramble will be a source of plagues and judgments to the ‘cedars of Lebanon,’ i.e. to the most eminent persons of the land, particularly of Shechem; a prediction which the sequel shows to have been remarkably fulfilled. Warren
Juízes 9
Gill: by "fatness" oil is meant, pressed out of the fruit of the olive tree, and which was much made use of both in the burning of the lamps in the tabernacle, and in many sacrifices, as the meat offerings and others, whereby God was honoured; and it was also made use of in the investiture of the greatest personages with the highest offices among men, as kings, priests, and prophets, as well as eaten with pleasure and delight by all sorts of men, and even by the greatest, and so men are honoured by it Paul Apple on go wave over the trees - “wave over” – look at how the function of one man rule is mocked here – What are the legitimate functions of leadership? - To protect the godly and punish the wicked - To stimulate productivity - To lead and guide - To nurture and develop Instead leadership is presented here as an empty ritual of waving it over others – making a show while enjoying the perks of being number one