שופטים, פרק ט׳, פסוק י״ט

Jotham brings his piercing address to a climactic close by challenging the leaders of Shechem with a final test of their true intentions. After delivering his extensive parable, he returns to a condition he established earlier regarding their treatment of Gideon's family. This repetition serves to summarize his argument and deliver a clear, final verdict [אברבנאל].

Jotham anticipates a potential excuse the leaders might offer to defend their actions. They could argue that despite their initial crime of murdering Gideon's other sons, their current decision to crown Abimelech is actually a way to honor Gideon and his legacy [מצודת דוד]. They might try to justify their choice by claiming that Abimelech is the most capable of the sons, making his rise to power an act of respect toward his father [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Jotham responds directly to this hypothetical defense. He states that if their claim is genuine and they truly acted with integrity, they should be rewarded with mutual happiness. By choosing a leader of their own, they should be able to find safety under his protection, just as he should find satisfaction in ruling over them [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Yet, a sharp criticism lies hidden within this seemingly fair condition. The leaders of Shechem pride themselves on acting with honesty and integrity only at this current moment, conveniently ignoring the fact that they have already slaughtered the rest of Gideon's children. Because of this bloody history, their current actions hold no true moral weight or justification [מלבי״ם].