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Judges 9:7-21
New International Reader's Version
Judges 9:7-21
New International Reader's Version
7 Jotham was told about it. So he climbed up on top of Mount Gerizim. He shouted down to them, “Citizens of Shechem! Listen to me! Then God will listen to you. 8 One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to an olive tree, ‘Be our king.’
9 “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my olive oil? It’s used to honor gods and people alike. Should I give that up just to rule over the trees?’
10 “Next, the trees said to a fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’
11 “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit? It’s so good and sweet. Should I give that up just to rule over the trees?’
12 “Then the trees said to a vine, ‘Come and be our king.’
13 “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine? It cheers up gods and people alike. Should I give that up just to rule over the trees?’
14 “Finally, all the trees spoke to a bush that had thorns. They said, ‘Come and be our king.’
15 “The bush asked the trees, ‘Do you really want to anoint me as king over you? If you do, come and rest in my shade. But if you don’t, I will destroy you! Fire will come out of me and burn up the cedar trees of Lebanon!’
16 “Did you act in an honest way when you made Abimelek your king? Did you really do the right thing? Have you been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family? Have you given him the honor he’s worthy of? 17 Remember that my father fought for you. He put his life in danger for you. He saved you from the power of Midian. 18 But today you have turned against my father’s family. You have murdered his 70 sons on a big rock. Abimelek is only the son of my father’s female slave. But you have made him king over the citizens of Shechem. You have done that because he’s related to you. 19 Have you citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo acted in an honest way toward Jerub-Baal? Have you done the right thing to his family today? If you have, may you be happy with Abimelek! And may he be happy with you! 20 But if you haven’t, let fire come out from Abimelek and burn you up! And let fire come out from you and burn Abimelek up!”
21 Then Jotham ran away. He escaped to a town named Beer. He lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelek.
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Judges 9:7-21
New International Version
Judges 9:7-21
New International Version
7 When Jotham(A) was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim(B) and shouted to them, “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. 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,(C) which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?’
14 “Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’
15 “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade;(D) but if not, then let fire come out(E) of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’(F)
16 “Have you acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelek king? Have you been fair to Jerub-Baal and his family? Have you treated him as he deserves? 17 Remember that my father fought for you and risked(G) his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian. 18 But today you have revolted against my father’s family. You have murdered his seventy sons(H) on a single stone and have made Abimelek, the son of his female slave, king over the citizens of Shechem because he is related to you. 19 So have you acted honorably and in good faith toward Jerub-Baal and his family today?(I) If you have, may Abimelek be your joy, and may you be his, too! 20 But if you have not, let fire come out(J) from Abimelek and consume you, the citizens of Shechem(K) and Beth Millo,(L) and let fire come out from you, the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo, and consume Abimelek!”
21 Then Jotham(M) fled, escaping to Beer,(N) and he lived there because he was afraid of his brother Abimelek.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.