Jotham begins telling a parable where trees represent various people groups. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parables]])
# When Jotham was told about this
This can be stated in active form. AT: "When Jotham heard that Abimelech had murdered his brothers" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]])
# The trees once went out to anoint a king over them. For they said to the olive tree, 'Reign over us.'
In this parable Jotham describes the trees doing things that humans do. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parables]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]])
# to anoint a king over them
Here, to anoint with oil is a symbolic action that represents appointing a person to be king. AT: "to appoint a king to rule over all of them" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-symaction]])