Judges 9:13

Easy-to-Read Version

"But the vine answered, ‘My wine makes men and kings happy. Should I stop making my wine just to go and sway over the trees?'

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But the grapevine said to them,“Should I stop giving my winethat cheers both God and man,and rule over trees?”

Hebrew Names Version
The vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?

King James Version
And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

Lexham English Bible
But the vine said to them, ‘Should I stop producing my wine that makes the gods and men happy, to go sway over the trees?'

English Standard Version
But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men and go hold sway over the trees?'

New Century Version
"But the vine answered, ‘My new wine makes men and gods happy. Should I stop making it and go and sway over the trees?'

New English Translation
But the grapevine said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my wine, which makes gods and men so happy, just to sway above the other trees!'

Amplified Bible
"And the vine replied, 'Should I give up my new wine, which makes God and men happy, and go to wave over the trees?'

New American Standard Bible
"But the vine said to them, 'Shall I give up my new wine, which cheers God and mankind, and go to wave over the trees?'

Geneva Bible (1587)
But the Vine sayde vnto them, Should I leaue my wine, whereby I cheare God and man, and goe to aduance me aboue the trees?

Legacy Standard Bible
wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.

Contemporary English Version
But the grape vine replied, "My wine brings cheer to people and gods. I won't stop making wine, just to have my branches wave above the other trees."

Complete Jewish Bible
But the grapevine replied, ‘Am I supposed to leave my wine, which gives cheer to God and humanity, just to go and hold sway over the trees?'

Darby Translation
And the vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave over the trees?

George Lamsa Translation
But the vine said to them, I am not going to leave my wine which cheers the hearts of gods and men, to be abominated for reigning over the trees.

Good News Translation
But the vine answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my wine, that makes gods and human beings happy.'

Literal Translation
And the vine said to them, Should I cease from my new wine, which rejoices God and men, and go to hold sway over the trees?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But the vyne sayde vnto them: Shal I leaue my swete wyne, which reioyseth God and men, and go to be puft vp aboue the trees?

American Standard Version
And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?

Bible in Basic English
But the vine said to them, Am I to give up my wine, which makes glad God and men, to go waving over the trees?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The vine sayde vnto them: Should I leaue my wine wherby I cheare both God and man, and go to be promoted ouer the trees?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the vine said unto them: Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to hold sway over the trees?

King James Version (1611)
And the Uine said vnto them, Should I leaue my wine, which cheareth God and man, and goe to bee promoted ouer the trees?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the vine said to them, Shall I leave my wine that cheers God and men, and go to be promoted over the trees?

English Revised Version
And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?

Berean Standard Bible
But the grapevine replied, 'Should I stop giving my wine that cheers both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Which answeride, Whether Y may forsake my wyn, that gladith God and men, and be auaunsid among othere trees?

Young's Literal Translation
And the vine saith to them, Have I ceased from my new wine, which is rejoicing gods and men, that I have gone to stagger over the trees?

Update Bible Version
And the vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and men, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?

Webster's Bible Translation
And the vine said to them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

World English Bible
The vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?

New King James Version
But the vine said to them, "Should I cease my new wine, Which cheers both God and men, And go to sway over trees?'

New Living Translation
But the grapevine also refused, saying, ‘Should I quit producing the wine that cheers both God and people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?'

New Life Bible
But the vine said to them, ‘Should I leave my new wine which makes God and men happy, and go to wave over the trees?'

New Revised Standard
But the vine said to them, ‘Shall I stop producing my wine that cheers gods and mortals, and go to sway over the trees?'

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But the vine said unto them, Should I leave my new wine, that rejoiceth gods and men, - and go to wave to and fro, over the trees?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And it answered them: Can I forsake my wine, that cheereth God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?

Revised Standard Version
But the vine said to them, 'Shall I leave my wine which cheers gods and men, and go to sway over the trees?'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But the vine said to them, 'Shall I leave my new wine, which cheers God and men, and go to wave over the trees?'

Contextual Overview

⁷ Jotham heard that the leaders of the city of Shechem had made Abimelech king. When he heard this, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted out this story to the people: "Listen to me you leaders of the city of Shechem. Then let God listen to you. ⁸ "One day the trees decided to choose a king to rule over them. The trees said to the olive tree, ‘You be king over us.' ⁹ "But the olive tree said, ‘My oil is used to honor gods and humans. Should I stop making my oil just to go and sway over the other trees?' ¹⁰ "Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.' ¹¹ "But the fig tree answered, ‘Should I stop making my good, sweet fruit just to go and sway over the other trees?' ¹² "Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.' ¹³ "But the vine answered, ‘My wine makes men and kings happy. Should I stop making my wine just to go and sway over the trees?' ¹⁴ "Finally, all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.' ¹⁵ "But the thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to make me king over you, come and find shelter in my shade. But if you don't want to do this, let fire come out of the thornbush. Let the fire burn even the cedar trees of Lebanon.' ¹⁶ "Now if you were completely honest when you made Abimelech king, may you be happy with him. And if you have been fair to Gideon and his family, and if you have treated him as you should, this is also good.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

cheereth: Numbers 15:5, Numbers 15:7, Numbers 15:10, Psalms 104:15, Proverbs 31:6, Ecclesiastes 10:19

Reciprocal: Luke 22:18 - the fruit

Cross-References

Ezekiel 1:28
The light shining around him was like a rainbow in a cloud. It was the Glory of the Lord . As soon as I saw that, I fell to the ground. I bowed with my face to the ground, and then I heard a voice speaking to me.

Revelation 4:3
The one sitting there was as beautiful as precious stones, like jasper and carnelian. All around the throne was a rainbow with clear colors like an emerald.

Revelation 10:1
Then I saw another powerful angel coming down from heaven. The angel was dressed in a cloud. He had a rainbow around his head. The angel's face was like the sun, and his legs were like poles of fire.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the vine said unto them,.... By way of denial and refusal, as the other two:

shall I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man; which being used in the drink offerings was acceptable to God, and of a sweet savour to him, Numbers 15:7 and being drank by than, revives, refreshes, and makes glad, when before sorrowful, drooping, faint, and weary, Psalms 104:15 though some by Elohim, rendered God, understand great personages, as men of quality, magistrates, &c. and by man the common people, and so in Judges 9:9

and go to be promoted over the trees? all speak the same language, being of the same sentiment.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This fable and that noted in the marginal reference are the only two of the kind found in Scripture. Somewhat different are the parables of the Old Testament, 2 Samuel 12:1-4; 2 Samuel 14:5-11; 1 Kings 20:39-40.

Judges 9:9

Honour God and man - Alluding to the constant use of oil in the meat-offerings Leviticus 2:1-16, and in the holy ointment Exodus 30:24-25. In like manner, the allusion in Judges 9:13 is to the drink-offerings of wine. See Leviticus 23:13; Numbers 15:10.

Judges 9:14

The bramble - Said to be the Rhamnus Paliurus of Linnaeus, otherwise called Spina-Christi, or Christ’s Thorn, a shrub with sharp thorns. The application is obvious. The noble Gideon and his worthy sons had declined the proffered kingdom. The vile, base-born Abimelech had accepted it, and his act would turn out to the mutual ruin of himself and his subjects.

Judges 9:15

If in truth - i. e. consistently with truth, honor, and uprightness, as explained in the interpretation in Judges 9:16, Judges 9:19.

Let fire come out ... - The propriety of the image is strictly preserved, for even the thorns of the worthless bramble might kindle a flame which would burn the stately cedars to the ground. See Psalms 58:9.

Judges 9:16-20

These verses contain the interpretation of the fable. In them Jotham points out the base ingratitude of the people in raising Abimelech upon the ruin of Gideon’s house, and foretells the retribution which would fall upon both parties.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Judges 9:13. Which cheereth God and man — I believe אלהים elohim here is to be taken in the same sense proposed on Judges 9:9. Vast libations of wine, as well as much oil, were used in heathenish sacrifices and offerings; and it was their opinion that the gods actually partook of, and were delighted with, both the wine and oil. The pagan mythology furnishes the most exquisite wines to its gods in heaven, and hence the nectar and ambrosia so much talked of and praised by the ancients. It is not reasonable to suppose that Jotham makes any reference here to the sacrifices, oblations, and perfumes offered to the true God. This language the idolatrous Shechemites could scarcely understand. What could the worshippers of Baal-berith know of the worship of the God who gave his law to Moses? And it is not very likely that Jotham himself was well acquainted with the sacred rites of the Mosaic religion, as they had been little preached in his time.