Judges 9:8
"The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them,.... 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, Psa 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.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (11 words)

H1980 הָלַךְ
Definition:

26+;הָלָ֑ךְ2 Samuel 8:6+; 3 pluralהָֽלְכוּGenesis 14:24+;(הֶ)הָֽלְכוּאJoshua 10:24(Ges§ 23, 3; 138, 3 b Köi. 414 f.), etc.;Imperfectrarelya.3masculine singularיִהֲלֹךְJeremiah 9:34t. Job, Psalms;וַיַּ 26+;הָלָ֑ךְ2 Samuel 8:6+; 3 pluralהָֽלְכוּGenesis 14:24+;(הֶ)הָֽלְכוּאJoshua 10:24(Ges§ 23, 3; 138, 3 b Köi. 414 f.), etc.;Imperfectrarelya.3masculine singularיִהֲלֹךְJeremiah 9:34t. Job, Psalms;וַיַּ

Possible Meanings:
  • toll (semantic_range)
H1980 הָלַךְ
Definition:

26+;הָלָ֑ךְ2 Samuel 8:6+; 3 pluralהָֽלְכוּGenesis 14:24+;(הֶ)הָֽלְכוּאJoshua 10:24(Ges§ 23, 3; 138, 3 b Köi. 414 f.), etc.;Imperfectrarelya.3masculine singularיִהֲלֹךְJeremiah 9:34t. Job, Psalms;וַיַּ 26+;הָלָ֑ךְ2 Samuel 8:6+; 3 pluralהָֽלְכוּGenesis 14:24+;(הֶ)הָֽלְכוּאJoshua 10:24(Ges§ 23, 3; 138, 3 b Köi. 414 f.), etc.;Imperfectrarelya.3masculine singularיִהֲלֹךְJeremiah 9:34t. Job, Psalms;וַיַּ

Possible Meanings:
  • toll (semantic_range)
H6086 עֵץ
Definition:

9tree, trees, wood; —׳עabsoluteGenesis 3:3+, constructGenesis 3:24+,עֵץֿGenesis 2:16+; suffixֵ˜עצְךָDeuteronomy 28:42, etc.; pluralעֵצִיםJudges 9:8+, constructעֲצֵיIsaiah 7:2+, suffixעֵצֶיךָDeuteronom 9tree, trees, wood; —׳עabsoluteGenesis 3:3+, constructGenesis 3:24+,עֵץֿGenesis 2:16+; suffixֵ˜עצְךָDeuteronomy 28:42, etc.; pluralעֵצִיםJudges 9:8+, constructעֲצֵיIsaiah 7:2+, suffixעֵצֶיךָDeuteronom

H4886 מָשַׁח
Definition:

252t.; suffixמְשָֽׁחֲךָPsalm 45:8;1 Samuel 10:1;מְשָׁחוֺ2Chronicles 22:7; 2 masculine singularמָשַׁחְתָּGenesis 31:1312t., + 9 t. Perfect;Imperfect3masculine singularיִמְשַׁחLeviticus 16:326t.; 3 masc 252t.; suffixמְשָֽׁחֲךָPsalm 45:8;1 Samuel 10:1;מְשָׁחוֺ2Chronicles 22:7; 2 masculine singularמָשַׁחְתָּGenesis 31:1312t., + 9 t. Perfect;Imperfect3masculine singularיִמְשַׁחLeviticus 16:326t.; 3 masc

Possible Meanings:
  • oil (semantic_range)
H5921 עַל
Definition:

“The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). From the opening verses, עַל marks God’s sovereignty above the chaotic deep, foreshadowing His orderly governance of the “The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). From the opening verses, עַל marks God’s sovereignty above the chaotic deep, foreshadowing His orderly governance of the

Possible Meanings:
  • upon (semantic_range)
  • on account of (semantic_range)
  • to (semantic_range)
H4428 מֶלֶךְ
Definition:

4המלכן; Phoenicianמלך; ZinjirliמלךDHMSendsch. 60; Assyrianmaliku,malku,prince(Assyrianšarru=king); Arabicking(original Hebrew *מַלִחinferred, LagBN 73BaNB § 112WMMAs. u. Europ.76); SabeanמלכןSabDenkmN 4המלכן; Phoenicianמלך; ZinjirliמלךDHMSendsch. 60; Assyrianmaliku,malku,prince(Assyrianšarru=king); Arabicking(original Hebrew *מַלִחinferred, LagBN 73BaNB § 112WMMAs. u. Europ.76); SabeanמלכןSabDenkmN

Possible Meanings:
  • counsel (semantic_range)
  • advice (semantic_range)
H0559 אָמַר
Definition:

1+, etc.;ImperfectיאֹמַרGenesis 31:8+;וַיּאֹ֫מֶרGenesis 1:3+;וַיּאֹמַ֑רGenesis 14:19+; in Job alwaysוַיּאֹ֑מַרJob 3:2+; 3 feminine singularתּאֹמַרGenesis 21:12+;תּאֹמֵר֑Proverbs 1:21; 1singularאֹמַרGe 1+, etc.;ImperfectיאֹמַרGenesis 31:8+;וַיּאֹ֫מֶרGenesis 1:3+;וַיּאֹמַ֑רGenesis 14:19+; in Job alwaysוַיּאֹ֑מַרJob 3:2+; 3 feminine singularתּאֹמַרGenesis 21:12+;תּאֹמֵר֑Proverbs 1:21; 1singularאֹמַרGe

Possible Meanings:
  • lamb (semantic_range)
H2132 זַיִת
Definition:

10olive-tree, olive(Late Hebrewid.; Aramaic,זֵיתָא; EthiopicArabicolive-tree, olive,olive-oil; see LagM iii. 215 ffHomAufsätze u. Abh., 1892, 94, 99 ff.; √dubious; Thes and most derive from assumedזהה 10olive-tree, olive(Late Hebrewid.; Aramaic,זֵיתָא; EthiopicArabicolive-tree, olive,olive-oil; see LagM iii. 215 ffHomAufsätze u. Abh., 1892, 94, 99 ff.; √dubious; Thes and most derive from assumedזהה

Possible Meanings:
  • olives (semantic_range)
H4427 מָלַךְ
Definition:

A primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel -- consult, X indeed, be (make, set a, set up) king, be (make A primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel -- consult, X indeed, be (make, set a, set up) king, be (make

Possible Meanings:
  • advice (semantic_range)
H4427 מָלַךְ
Definition:

A primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel -- consult, X indeed, be (make, set a, set up) king, be (make A primitive root; to reign; inceptively, to ascend the throne; causatively, to induct into royalty; hence (by implication) to take counsel -- consult, X indeed, be (make, set a, set up) king, be (make

Possible Meanings:
  • advice (semantic_range)
H5921 עַל
Definition:

“The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). From the opening verses, עַל marks God’s sovereignty above the chaotic deep, foreshadowing His orderly governance of the “The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). From the opening verses, עַל marks God’s sovereignty above the chaotic deep, foreshadowing His orderly governance of the

Possible Meanings:
  • upon (semantic_range)
  • on account of (semantic_range)
  • to (semantic_range)

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