Mount Gerizzim, which hangs over the city Shechem, and cried out
so as to be heard by the multitude, who were attentive to him. He
desired they would consider what he was going to say to them: so
when silence was made, he said, That when the trees had a human
voice, and there was an assembly of them gathered together, they
desired that the fig-tree would rule over them; but when that
tree refused so to do, because it was contented to enjoy that
honor which belonged peculiarly to the fruit it bare, and not
that which should be derived to it from abroad, the trees did not
leave off their intentions to have a ruler, so they thought
proper to make the offer of that honor to the vine; but when the
vine was chosen, it made use of the same words which the fig-tree
had used before, and excused itself from accepting the
government: and when the olive-tree had done the same, the brier,
whom the trees had desired to take the kingdom, (it is a sort of
wood good for firing,) it promised to take the government, and to
be zealous in the exercise of it; but that then they must sit
down under its shadow, and if they should plot against it to
destroy it, the principle of fire that was in it should destroy
them. He told them, that what he had said was no laughing matter;
for that when they had experienced many blessings from Gideon,
they overlooked Abimelech, when he overruled all, and had joined
with him in slaying his brethren; and that he was no better than
a fire himself. So when he had said this, he went away, and lived
privately in the mountains for three years, out of fear of
Abimelech.

3. A little while after this festival, the Shechemites, who had
now repented themselves of having slain the sons of Gideon, drove
Abimelech away, both from their city and their tribe; whereupon