My God and My Country

The Book of Judges Chapter 9:8-15

Geneva Bible Translation Ed. 1599

8 The trees went forth to anoint a King over them, and said unto the Olive tree, Reign thou over us. 9 But the Olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to advance me above the trees? 10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and be king over us. 11 But the fig tree answered them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to advance me above the trees? 12 Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and be king over us. 13 But the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, whereby I cheer God and man, and go to advance me above the trees? 14 Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. 15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If ye will indeed anoint me king over you, come, and put your trust under my shadow: and if not, the fire shall come out of the bramble, and consume the Cedars of Lebanon.

Study notes;

His parable is very ingenious—that when the trees were disposed to choose a king the government was offered to those valuable trees the olive, the fig-tree, and the vine, but they refused it, choosing rather to serve than rule, to do good than bear sway. But the same tender being made to the bramble he accepted it with vain-glorious exultation. The way of instruction by parables is an ancient way, and very useful, especially to give reproofs by.1. He hereby applauds the generous modesty of Gideon, and the other judges who were before him, and perhaps of the sons of Gideon, who had declined accepting the state and power of kings when they might have had them, and likewise shows that it is in general the temper of all wise and good men to decline preferment and to choose rather to be useful than to be great. There was no occasion at all for the trees to choose a king; they are all the trees of the Lord which he has planted (Psalm 104:16 ) and which therefore he will protect. Nor was there any occasion for Israel to talk of setting a king over them; for the Lord was their king. When they had it in their thoughts to choose a king they did not offer the government to the stately cedar, or the lofty pine, which are only for show and shade, and not otherwise useful till they are cut down, but to the fruit-trees, the vine and the olive. Those that bear fruit for the public good are justly respected and honoured by all that are wise more than those that affect to make a figure. For a good useful man some would even dare to die The reason which all these fruit-trees gave for their refusal was much the same. 

The olive pleads (verse 9), Should I leave my wine, wherewith both God and man are served and honoured? for oil and wine were used both at God’s altars and at men’s tables. And shall I leave my sweetness, saith the fig-tree, and my good fruit (verse11), and go to be promoted over the trees? or, as the margin reads it, go up and down for the trees? It is intimated, that government involves a man in a great deal both of toil and care; he that is promoted over the trees must go up and down for them, and make himself a perfect drudge to business. That those who are preferred to places of public trust and power must resolve to forego all their private interests and advantages, and sacrifice them to the good of the community. The fig-tree must lose its sweetness, its sweet retirement, sweet repose, and sweet conversation and contemplation, if it go to be promoted over the trees, and must undergo a constant fatigue. That those who are advanced to honour and dignity are in great danger of losing their fatness and fruitfulness. Preferment is apt to make men proud and slothful, and thus spoil their usefulness, with which in a lower sphere they honoured God and man, for which reason those that desire to do good are afraid of being too great.
Matthew Henry - Theologian - 1662-1714