Joy, Sweetness, Fatness, Fire

Jotham’s parable in Judges 9 compares men with plants. Fruitful trees and plants represent productive men who don’t have time to seek power and “wave over the trees.” Abimelech is a thorn bush, who has all the time in the world since he produces nothing.

Each of the trees has a unique quality. The olive tree can’t leave his “fatness” that “honors” ( kabad ) God and men (v. 9). Olive oil makes for fatness, which makes for heaviness, which implies glory and honor. The olive tree may not be impressive itself, but it makes others impressive. The fig tree produces sweetness (v. 11), like the sweetness of honey associated with the land (in Numbers 13, the spies bring back grapes and figs). The vine produces wine that gladdens both God and man (v. 13). Together, the three trees make for an abundant human life, full of honor, sweetness, joy. During Solomon’s reign, “each sat under his vine and fig tree,” enjoying sweetness and joy.

Brambles produce only fire that consumes all the goodness of the other trees. Fire leaps through dry thorns and burns productive fields (Exodus 22:6). Beware the bramble-men. You can’t know them by their fruits because they have none. You will know them by their ambition, and by the wide black path of ash that stretches behind and before them.