Commentaries:
Barnes' Notes
This fable and that noted in the marginal reference are the only two of the kind found in Scripture. Somewhat different are the parables of the Old Testament, II Samuel 12:1-4; II Samuel 14:5-11; I Kings 20:39-40.
Judges 9:9
Honour God and man - Alluding to the constant use of oil in the meat-offerings Lev. 2:1-16, and in the holy ointment Exodus 30:24-25. In like manner, the allusion in Judges 9:13 is to the drink-offerings of wine. See Leviticus 23:13; Numbers 15:10.
Judges 9:14
The bramble - Said to be the Rhamnus Paliurus of Linnaeus, otherwise called Spina-Christi, or Christ' s Thorn, a shrub with sharp thorns. The application is obvious. The noble Gideon and his worthy sons had declined the proffered kingdom. The vile, base-born Abimelech had accepted it, and his act would turn out to the mutual ruin of himself and his subjects.
Judges 9:15
If in truth - i. e. consistently with truth, honor, and uprightness, as explained in the interpretation in Judges 9:16, Judges 9:19.
Let fire come out ... - The propriety of the image is strictly preserved, for even the thorns of the worthless bramble might kindle a flame which would burn the stately cedars to the ground. See Psalms 58:9.
Judges 9:16-20
These verses contain the interpretation of the fable. In them Jotham points out the base ingratitude of the people in raising Abimelech upon the ruin of Gideon' s house, and foretells the retribution which would fall upon both parties.
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Judges 9:15:
Judges 9:8-20
Psalms 7:1
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