¹⁸ Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son as wife: and there passed by a wild animal that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle.

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

⁹ But the olive tree said to them, Should I leave my fatness, with which by me they honor God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?

¹⁰ The trees said to the fig tree, Come you, and reign over us.

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

¹² The trees said to the vine, Come you, and reign over us.

¹³ The vine said to them, Should I leave my new wine, which cheers God and man, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?

¹⁴ Then said all the trees to the bramble, Come you, and reign over us.

¹⁵ The bramble said to the trees, If in truth you 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.

³³ He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fish.

¹³ The boar out of the wood ravages it. The wild animals of the field feed on it.