Judges 9 in the early church

26 passages quote, allude to, or echo Judges 9, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.

Verses: 1 · 5 · 7 · 8 · 10 · 12 · 14 · 15 · 22 · 23 · 53

Judges 9:1

Now Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to his mother’s brothers at Shechem and said to them and to all the clan of his mother,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Judg 9:1–5	Fragment 26 · Julius Africanus	allusion, high confidence	after 221
Judg 9:1–6	Part 2, chapter 19 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage	allusion, high confidence	ca. 445-450

Judges 9:5

He went to his father’s house in Ophrah, and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, because he hid himself.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Judg 9:5	Sang. 1 · Methodius of Olympus	allusion, high confidence	late 3rd cent. (disputed)
Judg 9:5–57	Demonstration 14.10 · Aphrahat	allusion, high confidence	337-345
Judg 9:5	Demonstration 14.40 · Aphrahat	allusion, high confidence	337-345
Judg 9:5	Homilies 20.1 · Basil of Caesarea	allusion, high confidence	ca. 363-378

Judges 9:7

When this was reported to Jotham, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and cried out: “Listen to me, O leaders of Shechem, and may God listen to you.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Judg 9:7	Sang. 1 · Methodius of Olympus	allusion, high confidence	late 3rd cent. (disputed)
Judg 9:7–15	Part 2, chapter 19 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage	allusion, high confidence	ca. 445-450

Judges 9:8

One day the trees set out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Judg 9:8–15	Symposium 10.2 · Methodius of Olympus	quotation, high confidence	late 3rd century
Judg 9:8	Sang. 1 · Methodius of Olympus	quotation, high confidence	late 3rd cent. (disputed)
Judg 9:8	Against Lying 28 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, high confidence	ca. 420

Judges 9:10

Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Judg 9:10	Sang. 1 · Methodius of Olympus	allusion, high confidence	late 3rd cent. (disputed)

Judges 9:12

Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and reign over us.’
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Judg 9:12–13	Symposium 10.3 · Methodius of Olympus	allusion, high confidence	late 3rd century
Judg 9:12	Sang. 1 · Methodius of Olympus	allusion, high confidence	late 3rd cent. (disputed)

Judges 9:14

Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and reign over us.’
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Judg 9:14	Sang. 1 · Methodius of Olympus	quotation, high confidence	late 3rd cent. (disputed)
Judg 9:14	Letters 10.2 · Paulinus of Nola	echo, low confidence	ca. 394–413

Judges 9:15

But the thornbush replied, ‘If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Judg 9:15	Symposium 10.4 · Methodius of Olympus	allusion, high confidence	late 3rd century
Judg 9:15	Sang. 1 · Methodius of Olympus	quotation, high confidence	late 3rd cent. (disputed)
Judg 9:15	On the Complaints of Job and David 4.28 · Ambrose	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 383-390
Judg 9:15	Against Lying 28 · Augustine of Hippo	allusion, high confidence	ca. 420

Judges 9:22

After Abimelech had reigned over Israel for three years,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Judg 9:22	Miscellanies 1.21.110 · Clement of Alexandria	allusion, high confidence	ca. 198–203
Judg 9:22	Preparation for the Gospel 10.14.3 · Eusebius of Caesarea	allusion, high confidence	ca. 313–324

Judges 9:23

God sent a spirit of animosity between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem and caused them to treat Abimelech deceitfully,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Judg 9:23	Commentary on Romans 7.1 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 244–246 (Rufinus's translation ca. 405–406)

Judges 9:53

But a woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, crushing his skull.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Judg 9:53	Homilies 20.1 · Basil of Caesarea	allusion, high confidence	ca. 363-378
Judg 9:53	On the Governance of God 7.30 · Salvian of Marseilles	allusion, high confidence	ca. 439-451
Judg 9:53	Part 2, chapter 19 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage	allusion, high confidence	ca. 445-450