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.’”

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!’

“ 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!’

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.’

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.’

For without consulting me, you have gone down to Egypt for help. You have put your trust in Pharaoh’s protection. You have tried to hide in his shade.

He will cut down the tall cedars of Lebanon and all the mighty oaks of Bashan.

My people will again live under my shade. They will flourish like grain and blossom like grapevines. They will be as fragrant as the wines of Lebanon.

But if you have not acted in good faith, then may fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leading citizens of Shechem and Beth millo; and may fire come out from the citizens of Shechem and Beth millo and devour Abimelech!”

By your messengers you have defied the Lord. You have said,‘ With my many chariots I have conquered the highest mountains— yes, the remotest peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars and its finest cypress trees. I have reached its farthest heights and explored its deepest forests.

But King Jehoash of Israel replied to King Amaziah of Judah with this story:“ Out in the Lebanon mountains, a thistle sent a message to a mighty cedar tree:‘ Give your daughter in marriage to my son.’ But just then a wild animal of Lebanon came by and stepped on the thistle, crushing it!

It had fresh green leaves, and it was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. All the world was fed from this tree.

A fire has burst out from its branches and devoured its fruit. Its remaining limbs are not strong enough to be a ruler’s scepter.“ This is a funeral song, and it will be used in a funeral.”

A fire flamed forth from Heshbon, a blaze from the city of Sihon. It burned the city of Ar in Moab; it destroyed the rulers of the Arnon heights.

The trees of the Lord are well cared for— the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

You are like mighty Assyria, which was once like a cedar of Lebanon, with beautiful branches that cast deep forest shade and with its top high among the clouds.

It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”

The strongest among you will disappear like straw; their evil deeds will be the spark that sets it on fire. They and their evil works will burn up together, and no one will be able to put out the fire.

So each of them cut down some branches, following Abimelech’s example. They piled the branches against the walls of the temple and set them on fire. So all the people who had lived in the tower of Shechem died— about 1,000 men and women.