“Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?”
The full verse · Judges 9:9 · KJV
But the olive unto them, Should I my , wherewith by me they and , and to be over the ?
Asked by
Asked to
The collective assembly of trees seeking a king in the parable, representing the people of Shechem.
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionThe olive tree asks rhetorically to reject the kingship offer, emphasizing that productive fruitfulness serving God and humanity holds greater value than political power or status. The question form allows the speaker to highlight the inherent absurdity of abandoning meaningful contribution for mere governance.
The Response
What Scripture recordsThe trees did not argue with the olive tree’s refusal but moved on to ask the fig tree to reign over them (Judges 9:10).
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyThe olive tree’s question reveals the tension between productive service and political ambition. By asking rather than simply refusing, the olive tree invites reflection on what truly constitutes value. The Hebrew deshen (fatness, abundance) emphasizes not mere production but rich, quality contribution. The olive tree recognizes that its oil honors both God (through temple worship and priestly anointing) and man (through light, nourishment, and medicine). The question form underscores the absurdity of the choice. Why would anyone abandon meaningful contribution for the hollow elevation of rulership? The theological weight here is substantial: God values fruitful service over empty authority, and genuine honor comes through what we produce for others, not through positions we hold over them.
Your most valuable contribution isn’t always your most visible position. Like the olive tree, you may face pressure to abandon fruitful work for prominence or status. A teacher might be recruited into administration away from students. A skilled craftsman might be pushed toward management. A faithful minister might chase platforms over pastors’ hearts. Yet God often calls you to stay where your work honors Him and serves others most richly. Bloom where you’re planted, producing fruit that nourishes both sacred and secular spheres. The Kingdom advances more through faithful presence than impressive titles (1 Corinthians 12:22-25).
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Keep questioning
“Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?”
“Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?”
“Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you?”
“Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem, that we should serve him?”