“ 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!’

荆棘回答说：‘你们若诚诚实实地膏我为王，就要投在我的荫下；不然，愿火从荆棘里出来，烧灭黎巴嫩的香柏树。’

荆棘对众树说：‘你们若真的要膏我作王治理你们，就要来到我的荫下寻求庇护；不然，愿火从荆棘里出来，吞灭黎巴嫩的香柏树。’

荆棘对众树说：‘你们若真的要膏我作王治理你们，就要来到我的荫下寻求庇护；不然，愿火从荆棘里出来，吞灭黎巴嫩的香柏树。’

荆棘回答说，‘倘若你们诚心立我为你们的王，就投靠在我的荫下吧；不然，愿火从荆棘中冒出来吞噬黎巴嫩的香柏树。’

荆棘对众树说：‘如果你们真诚地膏立我作王统治你们，就要来，投靠在我的荫下；否则，火必从荆棘里出来，吞灭黎巴嫩的香柏树。’

荊棘回答說：『你們若誠誠實實地膏我為王，就要投在我的蔭下；不然，願火從荊棘裏出來，燒滅黎巴嫩的香柏樹。』

荊棘對眾樹說：『你們若真的要膏我作王治理你們，就要來到我的蔭下尋求庇護；不然，願火從荊棘裏出來，吞滅黎巴嫩的香柏樹。』

荊棘對眾樹說：『你們若真的要膏我作王治理你們，就要來到我的蔭下尋求庇護；不然，願火從荊棘裏出來，吞滅黎巴嫩的香柏樹。』

荊棘回答說，『倘若你們誠心立我為你們的王，就投靠在我的蔭下吧；不然，願火從荊棘中冒出來吞噬黎巴嫩的香柏樹。』

荊棘對眾樹說：‘如果你們真誠地膏立我作王統治你們，就要來，投靠在我的蔭下；否則，火必從荊棘裡出來，吞滅黎巴嫩的香柏樹。’

荊棘對樹木說：「你們若忠誠地膏立了我作王來統治你們，那麼你們就要來、投靠於我的蔭影下；不然，就願火從荊棘裏發出、來燒滅利巴嫩的香柏樹。」

棘曰、若誠膏我為王治爾、則來匿我蔭下、不然、則願火自棘出、燬利巴嫩之香柏、

棘曰、如爾誠欲膏我、立我為王、當藉我蔭為蔽、不然、願火自棘出、燬利巴嫩之柏香木。

棘對曰、如爾誠膏我、立我為王、則來、在我蔭下得庇、不然、火必自棘出、燬利巴嫩之柏香木、

“ The thornbush said to the trees,‘ If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, then let fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’

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.’

And the thornbush replied to the trees,‘ If you truly want to make me your king, come and take shelter in my shade. If not, let fire come out from me and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’”

The bramble said to the trees,“ If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.”

And the bramble said to the trees,‘ If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, may fire come out of the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’

And the bramble said to the trees,‘ If in truth you anoint me as king over you, Then come and take shelter in my shade; But if not, let fire come out of the bramble And devour the cedars of Lebanon!’

And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

The bramble said to the trees,“ If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out from the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.”

And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you,[ then] come[ and] put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

The thornbush said to the trees,‘ If you really want to choose me as your king, then come along, find safety under my branches! Otherwise may fire blaze from the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’

“ The bramble said to the trees,‘ If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’

They go down to Egypt without asking me for advice. They look to Pharaoh to help them. They ask Egypt to keep them safe.

The Lord has set that day apart for all the cedar trees in Lebanon. They are very tall. He has set that day apart for all the oak trees in Bashan.

Once again my people will live in the safety of my shade. They will grow like grain. They will bloom like vines. And Israel will be as famous as wine from Lebanon.

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!”

Through your messengers you have laughed at me again and again. And you have said,‘ I have many chariots. With them I have climbed to the tops of the mountains. I’ve climbed the highest mountains in Lebanon. I’ve cut down its tallest cedar trees. I’ve cut down the best of its juniper trees. I’ve reached its farthest mountains. I’ve reached its finest forests.

But Jehoash, the king of Israel, answered Amaziah, the king of Judah. Jehoash said,“ A thorn bush in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar tree there. The thorn bush said,‘ Give your daughter to be married to my son.’ Then a wild animal in Lebanon came along. It crushed the thorn bush by walking on it.

Its leaves were beautiful. It had a lot of fruit on it. It provided enough food for people and animals. Under the tree, the wild animals found safety. The birds lived in its branches. Every creature was fed from that tree.

One of its main branches was Zedekiah. Fire spread from it and burned up its fruit. None of its branches is good enough to be made into a ruler’s scepter.’ This is a song of sadness. And that is how it should be used.”

“ Fire went out from Heshbon. A blaze went out from the city of Sihon. It burned up Ar in Moab. It burned up the citizens who lived on Arnon’s hills.

The cedar trees of Lebanon belong to the Lord. He planted them and gave them plenty of water.

Think about what happened to Assyria. Once it was like a cedar tree in Lebanon. It had beautiful branches that provided shade for the forest. It grew very high. Its top was above all the leaves.

It is the smallest of all seeds. But when it grows, it is the largest of all garden plants. It becomes a tree. Birds come and rest in its branches.”

Your strongest men will become like dry pieces of wood. Their worship of other gods will be the spark that lights the fire. Everything will be burned up. No one will be there to put the fire out.”

So all the men cut branches and followed Abimelek. They piled them against the place where the people had gone for safety. Then they set the place on fire with the people still inside. There were about 1,000 men and women in the tower of Shechem. All of them died.