Judges 9:15

In truth. That is, with serious purpose. The bramble, recognizing its inferior worth as compared to the other trees, suspects that the offer is made only as a jest or in mockery.

Put your trust in my shadow. This may also be translated, “take refuge in my shadow.” The foolish bramble in all seriousness offers a preposterous invitation. The low branches afford no shadow, and they are full of thorns. This is biting irony. It depicts the absurdity of the situation in which the Shechemites found themselves. Abimelech, Jotham tells the people, can no more provide protection for them than the scraggly bramble bush can provide shadow and protection for the olive and fig trees. It was all promise and no performance.

If not. Not only is the bramble eager to be king, but it utters spiteful and dangerous threats — the counterpart of those intimidations, doubtless, which had been used by Abimelech to discourage any withdrawal of the offers of support the people of Shechem had given him.

Let fire come out. Bramble bushes were evidently the cause of frequent fires inasmuch as they ignited easily and the fire spread rapidly (Ex. 22:6; cf. Ps. 58:9; Isa. 9:18). Although Abimelech, like the bramble, had no power or ability to help, he had great power to harm. Those who had made Abimelech king were in a dilemma. If they remained loyal to him, they would enjoy his mocking protection. If they deserted him, he would bring them to ruin.

The condensed moral of the whole parable is this: Weak, worthless, and wicked men will ever be foremost to thrust themselves into power, and, in the end, to bring ruin upon themselves and the unhappy people over whom they preside.