Judges 9:7-15

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

⁸ The trees once went out
    to anoint a king over themselves.
So they said to the olive tree,
    ‘Reign over us.’
⁹ The olive tree answered them,
    ‘Shall I stop producing my rich oil
        by which gods and mortals are honored
        and go to sway over the trees?’
¹⁰ Then the trees said to the fig tree,
    ‘You come and reign over us.’
¹¹ But the fig tree answered them,
    ‘Shall I stop producing my sweetness
        and my delicious fruit
        and go to sway over the trees?’
¹² Then the trees said to the vine,
    ‘You come and reign over us.’
¹³ But the vine said to them,
    ‘Shall I stop producing my wine
        that cheers gods and mortals
        and go to sway over the trees?’
¹⁴ So all the trees said to the bramble,
    ‘You come and reign over us.’
¹⁵ And the bramble said to the trees,
    ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you,
        then come and take refuge in my shade,
    but if not, let fire come out of the bramble
        and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’^(B)