Judges Ch. 9

Reading judges now. Wow the Isrealites really have a hard time following God's law (who can blame them). Joshua is dead, Moses is long dead - and now the isrealites are left to follow God on their own. But, they stray and worship other gods and so things fall apart. They cry out to God who sends a judge to tell them what to do, and to rescue them - delivering them. God almost gives up on the Isrealites a few times. Still very hard. But, I really like this passage:

Judges 9:8-15

New International Version (NIV)

⁸ One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’
⁹ “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’
¹⁰ “Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’
¹¹ “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’
¹² “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’
¹³ “But the vine answerevingd, ‘Should I give up my wine,^(A) which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?’
¹⁴ “Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’
¹⁵ “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade;^(B) but if not, then let fire come out^(C) of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’<sup>(D)


Thank you to http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judges+9%3A8-15&version=NIV for having typed this out in advance for me.</sup>