⁵ And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, Of a truth I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

⁸ The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive-tree, Reign thou over us.

⁹ But the olive-tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?

¹⁰ And the trees said to the fig-tree, Come thou, and reign over us.

¹¹ But the fig-tree said unto them, Should I leave my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?

¹² And the trees said unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.

¹³ And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to wave to and fro over the trees?

¹⁴ Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

¹⁵ And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

¹ And Jehovah sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

² The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds;

³ but the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.