And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them, Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.
When Jotham heard what had happened, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim. He raised his voice and called out to them, saying, 'Listen to me, you men of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.'
Jotham is calling for the people's attention before delivering an important message, suggesting that if they listen to his words, God will listen to theirs.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs after Abimelech had killed his seventy brothers to become king over Shechem, with only Jotham escaping. Mount Gerizim was a sacred mountain overlooking the city of Shechem, known as the mountain of blessing where the Israelites had proclaimed God's blessings upon entering the Promised Land. Jotham chose this elevated, holy location to deliver his prophetic parable condemning Abimelech's ruthless grab for power.
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