SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:8
Fueron los árboles a elegir rey sobre sí, y dijeron al olivo: Reina sobre nosotros.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Judges 9:8
Verse 8. The trees went forth on a time] This is the oldest, and without exception the best fable or apologue in the world. See the observations at the end of this chapter. It is not to be supposed that a fable, if well formed, requires much illustration; every part of this, a few expressions excepted, illustrates itself, and tells its own meaning. To anoint a king] Hence it appears that anointing was usual in the installation of kings, long before there was any king in Israel; for there is much evidence that the book of Judges was written before the days of Saul and David.
The olive tree] The olive was the most useful of all the trees in the field or forest, as the bramble was the meanest and the most worthless.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 8. The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them , etc.] This is an apologue or fable, and a very fine and beautiful one; it is fitly expressed to answer the design, and the most ancient of the kind, being made seven hundred years before the times of Aesop, so famous for his fables, and exceeds anything written by him. By the trees are meant the people of Israel in general, and the Shechemites in particular, who had been for some time very desirous of a king, but could not persuade any of their great and good men to accept of that office: and they said unto the olive tree, reign thou over us ; a fit emblem of a good man, endowed with excellent virtues and qualifications for good, as David king of Israel, who is compared to such a tree, ( Psalm 52:8), Jarchi applies this to Othniel the first judge; but it may be better applied to Gideon, an excellent good man, full of fruits of righteousness, and eminently useful, and to whom kingly government was offered, and was refused by him; and the men of Shechem could scarcely fail of thinking of him, and applying it to him, as Jotham was delivering his fable.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7-21 - There was no occasion for the trees to choose a king, they are all the trees of the Lord which he has planted. Nor was there any occasion for Israel to set a king over them, for the Lord was their King. Those wh bear fruit for the public good, are justly respected and honoured by all that are wise, more than those who merely make a figure. All thes fruit-trees gave much the same reason for their refusal to be promote over the trees; or, as the margin reads it, to go up and down for the trees. To rule, involves a man in a great deal both of toil and care Those who are preferred to public trust and power, must forego all private interests and advantages, for the good of others. And thos advanced to honour and dignity, are in great danger of losing their fruitfulness. For which reason, they that desire to do good, are afrai of being too great. Jotham compares Abimelech to the bramble of thistle, a worthless plant, whose end is to be burned. Such a one wa Abimelech.
Original Hebrew
הלוך 1980 הלכו 1980 העצים 6086 למשׁח 4886 עליהם 5921 מלך 4428 ויאמרו 559 לזית 2132 מלוכה 4427 עלינו׃ 5921
