Gideon’s Ephod

²² The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.”

¹⁵ Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king^(A) by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.^(B)

¹² “But when you saw that Nahash^(A) king^(B) of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule^(C) over us’—even though the Lord your God was your king.

⁵ They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king^(A) to lead^[a](B) us, such as all the other nations^(C) have.”

⁸ One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’

⁹ “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’

¹⁰ “Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’

¹¹ “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’

¹² “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’

¹³ “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine,^(A) which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?’