First ReadingJudges 9:6-15
From the Book of Judges
6All the men of Shechem assembled themselves together with all the house of Millo,and went and made Abimelech king by the oak of the pillarthat was in Shechem.7When they told it to Jotham,he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizimand lifted up his voice,cried out, and said to them,“Listen to me, you men of Shechem,that God may listen to you.8The trees set out to anoint a king over themselves.They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’
9“But the olive tree said to them,‘Should I stop producing my oil,with which they honor God and man by me,and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’
10“The trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’
11“But the fig tree said to them,‘Should I leave my sweetness,and my good fruit,and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’
12“The trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’
13“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?’
14“Then all the trees said to the bramble,‘Come and reign over us.’
15“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.’