Judges 1-5

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Judges 1:1 tn The Hebrew verb translated “asked” (שָׁאַל, shaʾal) refers here to consulting the Lord through a prophetic oracle; cf. NAB “consulted.”
2. Judges 1:1 tn Heb “Who should first go up for us against the Canaanites to attack them?”
3. Judges 1:2 tn Heb “Judah should go up.”
4. Judges 1:2 tn The Hebrew exclamation הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally, “Behold”), translated “Be sure of this,” draws attention to the following statement. The verb form in the following statement (a Hebrew perfect, indicating completed action from the standpoint of the speaker) emphasizes the certainty of the event. Though it had not yet taken place, the Lord speaks of it as a “done deal.”
5. Judges 1:3 tn Heb “Judah said to Simeon, his brother.”
6. Judges 1:3 tn Heb “Come up with me into our allotted land and let us attack the Canaanites.”
7. Judges 1:3 tn Heb “I.” The Hebrew pronoun is singular, agreeing with the collective singular “Judah” earlier in the verse. English style requires a plural pronoun here, however.
8. Judges 1:4 tn Heb “Judah went up.”
9. Judges 1:5 tn Or “found.”
10. Judges 1:7 tn Elsewhere this verb usually carries the sense of “to gather; to pick up; to glean,” but “lick up” seems best here in light of the peculiar circumstances described by Adoni-Bezek.
11. Judges 1:7 tn The words “food scraps” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.
12. Judges 1:7 tn Heb “Just as I did, so God has repaid me.” Note that the phrase “to them” has been supplied in the translation to clarify what is meant.
13. Judges 1:9 sn The Negev is the area of central, southern Judah, south of the hill country and Beer Sheba and west of the rift valley.
14. Judges 1:9 sn The foothills (שְׁפֵלָה, sh^ephelah) are the region between the Judean hill country and the Mediterranean coastal plain.
15. Judges 1:11 tn Heb “they went from there against the inhabitants of Debir.” The LXX reads the verb as “they went up,” which suggests that the Hebrew text translated by the LXX read וַיַּעַל (vayyaʿal) rather than the MT’s וַיֵּלֶךְ (vayyelekh). It is possible that this is the text to be preferred in v. 11. Cf. Josh 15:15.
16. Judges 1:13 tn “Caleb’s younger brother” may refer to Othniel or to Kenaz (in which case Othniel was Caleb’s nephew; so CEV).
17. Judges 1:13 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Caleb) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
18. Judges 1:14 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Achsah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
19. Judges 1:14 tn Heb “him.” The pronoun could refer to Othniel, in which case one would translate, “she incited him [Othniel] to ask her father for a field.” This is problematic, however, for Achsah, not Othniel, makes the request in v. 15. The LXX has “he [Othniel] urged her to ask her father for a field.” This appears to be an attempt to reconcile the apparent inconsistency and probably does not reflect the original text. If Caleb is understood as the referent of the pronoun, the problem disappears. For a fuller discussion of the issue, see P. G. Mosca, “Who Seduced Whom? A Note on Joshua 15:18 // Judges 1:14, ” CBQ 46 (1984): 18-22. The translation takes Caleb to be the referent, specified as “her father.”
20. Judges 1:15 tn Elsewhere the Hebrew word בְרָכָה (v^erakhah) is often translated “blessing,” but here it refers to a gift (as in Gen 33:11; 1 Sam 25:27; 30:26; 2 Kgs 5:15).
21. Judges 1:15 tn Some translations regard the expressions “springs of water” (גֻּלֹּת מָיִם, gullot mayim) and “springs” (גֻּלֹּת) as place names here (cf. NRSV).
22. Judges 1:16 sn The city of date palm trees refers to Jericho. See Deut 34:3.
23. Judges 1:16 tc Part of the Greek ms tradition lacks the words “of Judah.”
24. Judges 1:16 tn Heb “[to] the wilderness of Judah in the Negev, Arad.”
25. Judges 1:16 tn The phrase “of Judah” is supplied here in the translation. Some ancient textual witnesses read, “They went and lived with the Amalekites.” This reading, however, is probably influenced by 1 Sam 15:6 (see also Num 24:20-21).
26. Judges 1:17 tn Heb “Judah went with Simeon, his brother.”
27. Judges 1:17 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the city of Zephath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
28. Judges 1:17 sn The name Hormah (חָרְמָה, khormah) sounds like the Hebrew verb translated “wipe out” (חָרַם, kharam).
29. Judges 1:18 tn Heb “The men of Judah captured Gaza and its surrounding territory, Ashkelon and its surrounding territory, and Ekron and its surrounding territory.”
30. Judges 1:19 tn Or “seized possession of”; or “occupied.”
31. Judges 1:19 tc Several textual witnesses support the inclusion of this verb.
32. Judges 1:19 tn Regarding the translation “chariots with iron-rimmed wheels,” see Y. Yadin, The Art of Warfare in Biblical Lands, 255, and the article by R. Drews, “The ‘Chariots of Iron’ of Joshua and Judges,” JSOT 45 (1989): 15-23.
33. Judges 1:20 tn Heb “they gave to Caleb.”
34. Judges 1:21 sn The statement to this very day reflects the perspective of the author, who must have written prior to David’s conquest of the Jebusites (see 2 Sam 5:6-7).
35. Judges 1:22 tn Heb “house.” This is a metonymy for the warriors from the tribe.
36. Judges 1:22 tn Heb “went up.”
37. Judges 1:24 tn Heb “saw.”
38. Judges 1:26 tn Heb “the man.”
39. Judges 1:27 tn Heb “The men of Manasseh did not conquer Beth Shean and its surrounding towns, Taanach and its surrounding towns, the people living in Dor and its surrounding towns, the people living in Ibleam and its surrounding towns, or the people living in Megiddo and its surrounding towns.”
40. Judges 1:27 tn Or “were determined.”
41. Judges 1:27 tn Heb “in this land.”
42. Judges 1:30 tn Heb “the people living in Kitron and the people living in Nahalol.”
43. Judges 1:31 tn Heb “The men of Asher did not conquer the people living in Acco, the people living in Sidon, Ahlab, Acco, Helbah, Aphek, or Rehob.”
44. Judges 1:33 tn Heb “the people living in Beth Shemesh or the people living in Beth Anath.”
45. Judges 1:33 tn The term “Canaanites” is supplied here both for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
46. Judges 1:34 tn Heb “come down into.”
47. Judges 1:35 tn Or “were determined.”
48. Judges 1:35 tn Or “Mount Heres”; the term הַר (har) means “mount” or “mountain” in Hebrew.
49. Judges 1:35 tn Heb “Whenever the hand of the tribe of Joseph was heavy.”
50. Judges 1:36 tn Or “the Ascent of Scorpions” (עַקְרַבִּים [ʿaqrabbim] means “scorpions” in Hebrew).
51. Judges 1:36 tn Or “Amorite territory started at the Pass of the Scorpions at Sela and then went on up.”
52. Judges 2:1 sn See Exod 14:19; 23:20.
53. Judges 2:1 tn Heb “the land that I had sworn to your fathers.”
54. Judges 2:2 tn Heb “their altars.”
55. Judges 2:2 tn Heb “you have not listened to my voice.”
56. Judges 2:2 tn Heb “What is this you have done?”
57. Judges 2:3 tn Heb “And I also said.” The use of the perfect tense here suggests that the messenger is recalling an earlier statement (see Josh 23:12-13). However, some translate, “And I also say,” understanding the following words as an announcement of judgment upon those gathered at Bokim.
58. Judges 2:3 tn The words “If you disobey” are supplied in the translation for clarity. See Josh 23:12-13.
59. Judges 2:3 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the Canaanites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
60. Judges 2:3 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word צִדִּים (tsiddim) is uncertain in this context. It may be related to an Akkadian cognate meaning “snare.” If so, a more literal translation would be “they will become snares to you.” Normally the term in question means “sides,” but this makes no sense here. On the basis of Num 33:55 some suggest the word for “thorns” has been accidentally omitted. If this word is added, the text would read, “they will become [thorns] in your sides” (cf. NASB, NIV, NLT).
61. Judges 2:3 tn Heb “their gods will become a snare to you.”
62. Judges 2:4 tn Heb “lifted their voices and wept.”
63. Judges 2:5 sn Bokim means “weeping ones” and is derived from the Hebrew verb בָּכָא (bakhaʾ, “to weep”).
64. Judges 2:6 tn Or “sent away.”
65. Judges 2:6 tn Heb “the Israelites went each to his inheritance.”
66. Judges 2:7 tn Or “served”; or “followed.”
67. Judges 2:7 tn Or perhaps “elders,” which could be interpreted to mean “leaders.”
68. Judges 2:7 tn Heb “all the days of Joshua and all the days of the old men who outlived him, who had seen.”
69. Judges 2:7 tn Heb “the great work of the Lord which he had done for Israel.”
70. Judges 2:9 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
71. Judges 2:9 tn Heb “in the territory of his inheritance.”
72. Judges 2:10 tn Heb “All that generation were gathered to their fathers.”
73. Judges 2:10 tn Heb “arose after them.”
74. Judges 2:10 tn Heb “that did not know the Lord or the work which he had done for Israel.” The expressions “personally experienced” and “seen” are interpretive.
75. Judges 2:11 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
76. Judges 2:11 tn Or “serving”; or “following.”
77. Judges 2:12 tn Or “fathers.”
78. Judges 2:12 tn Or “bowed before” (the same expression occurs in the following verse).
79. Judges 2:13 sn The Ashtoreths were local manifestations of the goddess Astarte.
80. Judges 2:14 tn Or “The Lord’s anger burned [or “raged”] against Israel.”
81. Judges 2:14 tn Heb “robbers who robbed them.” (The verb שָׁסָה [shasah] appears twice in the verse.)sn The expression robbers who plundered them is a derogatory reference to the enemy nations, as the next line indicates.
82. Judges 2:14 tn Heb “sold them into the hand of.”
83. Judges 2:14 tn The word “attacks” is supplied in the translation both for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
84. Judges 2:15 tn The expression “to fight” is interpretive.
85. Judges 2:15 tn Heb “the Lord’s hand was against them for harm.”
86. Judges 2:15 tn Heb “just as he had said and just as he had sworn to them.”
87. Judges 2:15 tn Or “they experienced great distress.”
88. Judges 2:16 tn Or more traditionally, “judges” (also in vv. 17, 18 [3x], 19). Since these figures carried out more than a judicial function, also serving as rulers and (in several instances) as military commanders, the translation uses the term “leaders.”
89. Judges 2:16 tn Heb “and they delivered them from the hand of the ones robbing them.”
90. Judges 2:17 tn Or “did not listen to.”
91. Judges 2:17 tn Or “bowed before.”
92. Judges 2:17 tn Or “way [of life].”
93. Judges 2:17 tn Or “fathers.”
94. Judges 2:17 tn Heb “…walked, obeying the Lord’s commands. They did not do this.”
95. Judges 2:18 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
96. Judges 2:18 tn The phrase “for them” is supplied in the translation for clarity.
97. Judges 2:18 tn Heb “the ones oppressing them and afflicting them.” The synonyms “oppressing” and “afflicting” are joined together in the translation as “harsh oppressors” to emphasize the cruel character of their enemies.
98. Judges 2:19 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the next generation) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
99. Judges 2:19 tn The verb שׁוּב (shuv, “to return; to turn”) is sometimes translated “turn back” here, but it is probably used in an adverbial sense, indicating that the main action (“act wickedly”) is being repeated.
100. Judges 2:19 tn Heb “their fathers.”sn The statement the next generation would again act more wickedly than the previous one must refer to the successive sinful generations after Joshua, not Joshua’s godly generation (cf. vv. 7, 17).
101. Judges 2:19 tn Or “serving [them]”; or “following [them].”
102. Judges 2:19 tn Or “drop.”
103. Judges 2:20 tn Or “The Lord’s anger burned [or “raged”] against Israel.”
104. Judges 2:20 tn Heb “Because this nation.”
105. Judges 2:20 tn Heb “my covenant which I commanded their fathers.”
106. Judges 2:20 tn Heb “and has not listened to my voice.” The expression “to not listen to [God’s] voice” is idiomatic here for disobeying him.
107. Judges 2:22 tn The Hebrew text of v. 22 simply begins with “to test.” Some subordinate this phrase to “I will no longer remove” (v. 21). In this case the Lord announces that he has now decided to leave these nations as a test for Israel. Another possibility is to subordinate “to test” to “He said” (v. 20; see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 111). In this case the statement recorded in vv. 20b-21 is the test in that it forces Israel to respond either positively (through repentance) or negatively to the Lord’s declaration. A third possibility is to subordinate “to test” to “left unconquered” (v. 21). In this case the Lord recalls that Joshua left these nations as a test. Israel has failed the test (v. 20), so the Lord announces that the punishment threatened earlier (Josh 23:12-13; see also Judg 2:3) will now be implemented. As B. G. Webb (Judges [JSOTSup], 115) observes, “The nations which were originally left as a test are now left as a punishment.” This view harmonizes v. 23, which explains that the Lord did not give all the nations to Joshua, with v. 22. (For a grammatical parallel, where the infinitive construct of נָסָה [nasah] is subordinated to the perfect of עָזַב [ʿazav], see 2 Chr 32:31.)
108. Judges 2:22 tn The Hebrew text includes the phrase “by them,” but this is somewhat redundant in English and has been omitted from the translation for stylistic reasons.
109. Judges 2:22 tn The words “I [i.e., the Lord] want to see” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
110. Judges 2:22 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
111. Judges 2:22 tn Or “way [of life].”
112. Judges 2:22 tn “The words “marked out by” are interpretive.
113. Judges 2:22 tn Or “fathers.”
114. Judges 2:23 tn The words “this is why” are interpretive and not in the original text.
115. Judges 2:23 tn Or “quickly.”
116. Judges 3:1 tn Heb “did not know the wars of Canaan.”
117. Judges 3:2 tn The Hebrew syntax of v. 2 is difficult. The Hebrew text reads literally, “only in order that the generations of the Israelites might know, to teach them war—only those who formerly did not know them.”sn The stated purpose for leaving the nations (to teach the subsequent generations…how to conduct holy war) seems to contradict 2:22 and 3:4, which indicate the nations were left to test Israel’s loyalty to the Lord. However, the two stated purposes can be harmonized. The willingness of later generations to learn and engage in holy war would measure their allegiance to the Lord (see B. G. Webb, Judges [JSOTSup], 114-15).
118. Judges 3:3 tn The words “These were the nations,” though not present in the Hebrew text, are supplied in the translation for clarity.
119. Judges 3:3 tn Or “the entrance to Hamath.”
120. Judges 3:4 tn Heb “to know if they would hear the commands of the Lord which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.”
121. Judges 3:6 tn Heb “to their sons.”
122. Judges 3:6 tn Or “served”; or “followed” (this term occurs in the following verse as well).
123. Judges 3:7 tn Heb “in the eyes of the Lord.”
124. Judges 3:7 sn The Asherahs were local manifestations of the Canaanite goddess Asherah.
125. Judges 3:8 tn Or “The Lord’s anger burned (or raged) against Israel.”
126. Judges 3:8 tn Heb “sold them into the hands of.”
127. Judges 3:8 tn Or “Cushan the Doubly Wicked.”
128. Judges 3:8 tc Armon Haraim. Traditionally Aram-Naharaim, and sometimes understood as a place in Mesopotamia. This reading accepts the consonantal text but divides the words after the nun (נ) instead of before. The consonants ארמן הרים could be read with a dual ending as ʾArmon Haraim, meaning “Citadel of the Two Mountains,” or with a plural ending as ʾArmon Harim, meaning “Citadel of the Mountains.” In either case, Cushan Rishathaim is probably a remaining Canaanite king with a fortress in the hill country of Israel. See Beitzel, The Moody Atlas of Bible Lands, 106.
129. Judges 3:8 tn Or “they served Cushan Rishathaim.”
130. Judges 3:9 tn Heb “the Lord.”
131. Judges 3:9 tn Or “delivered.”
132. Judges 3:9 tn “Caleb’s younger brother” may refer to Othniel or to Kenaz (in which case Othniel is Caleb’s nephew).
133. Judges 3:10 tn Heb “was on him.”
134. Judges 3:10 tc Armon. Traditionally Aram. See note at Judges 3:8. This is either Armon, with restored nun (נ), being short for Armon Haraim, or perhaps the entire phrase was original.
135. Judges 3:10 tn Heb “his hand was strong against Cushan Rishathaim.”
136. Judges 3:12 tn Heb “in the eyes of the Lord” (also later in this verse).
137. Judges 3:12 tn Heb “strengthened Eglon…against Israel.”
138. Judges 3:13 tn Heb “and he gathered to him.”
139. Judges 3:13 sn The city of date palm trees refers to Jericho. See Deut 34:3.
140. Judges 3:14 tn Or “the Israelites served Eglon.”
141. Judges 3:15 tn Heb “the Lord.” This has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
142. Judges 3:15 tn The phrase, which refers to Ehud, literally reads “bound/restricted in the right hand,” apparently a Hebrew idiom for a left-handed person. See Judg 20:16, where 700 Benjaminites are described in this way. Perhaps the Benjaminites purposely trained several of their young men to be left-handed warriors by restricting the use of the right hand from an early age so the left hand would become dominant. Left-handed men would have a distinct military advantage, especially when attacking city gates. See B. Halpern, “The Assassination of Eglon: The First Locked-Room Murder Mystery,” BRev 4 (1988): 35.
143. Judges 3:15 tn Heb “The Israelites sent by his hand an offering to Eglon, king of Moab.”
144. Judges 3:16 tn The Hebrew term גֹּמֶד (gomed) denotes a unit of linear measure, perhaps a cubit (the distance between the elbow and the tip of the middle finger—approximately 18 inches [45 cm]). Some suggest it is equivalent to the short cubit (the distance between the elbow and the knuckles of the clenched fist—approximately 13 inches [33 cm]) or to the span (the distance between the end of the thumb and the end of the little finger in a spread hand—approximately 9 inches [23 cm]). See BDB 167 s.v.; HALOT 196 s.v.; B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 142.
145. Judges 3:18 tn Heb “the tribute payment.”
146. Judges 3:19 tn Or “returned” (i.e., to Eglon’s palace).
147. Judges 3:19 tn The words “once he reached” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The Hebrew text simply reads “from.”
148. Judges 3:19 tn Or “idols.”
149. Judges 3:19 tn The words “to Eglon” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
150. Judges 3:19 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Eglon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
151. Judges 3:19 tn Or “Hush!”
152. Judges 3:20 tn Or “cool.” This probably refers to a room with latticed windows which allowed the breeze to pass through. See B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 144.
153. Judges 3:20 tn Heb “word of [i.e., from] God.”
154. Judges 3:20 tn Or “throne.”
155. Judges 3:21 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Eglon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
156. Judges 3:22 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ehud) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
157. Judges 3:22 tc The Hebrew text has “and he went out to the [?].” The word פַּרְשְׁדֹנָה (parshedonah) occurs only here, and is of uncertain meaning. The noun has the directional suffix, meaning “to the parsh^edon.” Some translations (e.g. KJV, NRSV, NASB, ESV, NKJV) take it as a reference to feces or intestinal organs coming out. This would interpret the noun ending as feminine (not directional). But the verb (וַיֵּצֵא, vayyetseʾ) is masculine so this does not explain the text, even though the notion might fit the context. The subject is either Ehud or the blade–either would match the verb form–and the word in question tells where the subject went out. If the blade (לַהַב, lahav) is the subject, then פַּרְשְׁדֹנָה (parsh^edonah) might be an anatomical reference describing the exit point; if Ehud is the subject, then the word is probably a technical architectural term. The entire phrase is missing from the LXX. The present translation omits the clause, understanding it as an ancient variant of the first clause in v. 23. See B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 146-48, for discussion of the options.
158. Judges 3:23 tn Again the precise meaning of the Hebrew word, used only here in the OT, is uncertain. Since it is preceded by the verb “went out” and the next clause refers to Ehud closing doors, the noun is probably an architectural term referring to the room (perhaps a vestibule; see HALOT 604 s.v. מִסְדְּרוֹן) immediately outside the king’s upper chamber. As v. 24 indicates, this vestibule separated the upper room from an outer room where the king’s servants were waiting.
159. Judges 3:24 tn Heb “his.”
160. Judges 3:24 tn Heb “covering his feet” (i.e., with his outer garments while he relieves himself).
161. Judges 3:24 tn The Hebrew expression translated “well-ventilated inner room” may refer to the upper room itself or to a bathroom attached to or within it.
162. Judges 3:25 tn The words “the doors” are supplied.
163. Judges 3:25 tn Heb “See, their master, fallen to the ground, dead.”
164. Judges 3:27 tn Heb “When he arrived.”
165. Judges 3:27 tn That is, “mustered an army.”
166. Judges 3:27 tn Heb “now he was before them.”
167. Judges 3:28 tn Heb “for the Lord has given your enemies, Moab, into your hand.” The verb form (a Hebrew perfect, indicating completed action from the standpoint of the speaker) emphasizes the certainty of the event. Though it had not yet taken place, the Lord speaks of it as a “done deal.”
168. Judges 3:28 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for clarity.
169. Judges 3:28 tn Or “against Moab,” that is, so as to prevent the Moabites from crossing.
170. Judges 3:29 tn Heb “They struck Moab that day—about ten thousand men.”
171. Judges 3:31 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Ehud) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
172. Judges 3:31 tn Heb “was.”
173. Judges 4:1 tn Heb “did evil in the eyes of the Lord.”
174. Judges 4:2 tn Heb “the Lord sold them into the hands of.”
175. Judges 4:2 tn Or “King Jabin of Hazor, a Canaanite ruler.”
176. Judges 4:2 tn Or “Harosheth of the Pagan Nations”; cf. KJV “Harosheth of the Gentiles.” “Haroshet” may mean “Forest [area]” or be a reference to some sort of carving.
177. Judges 4:3 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Sisera) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
178. Judges 4:3 tn Regarding the translation “chariots with iron-rimmed wheels,” see Y. Yadin, The Art of Warfare in Biblical Lands, 255, and the article by R. Drews, “The ‘Chariots of Iron’ of Joshua and Judges,” JSOT 45 (1989): 15-23.
179. Judges 4:3 tn Heb “with strength.”
180. Judges 4:4 tn Heb “ a woman, a prophetess.” In Hebrew idiom the generic “woman” sometimes precedes the more specific designation. See GKC 437-38 §135.b.
181. Judges 4:4 tn Heb “she was.” The pronoun refers back to the nominative absolute “Deborah.” Hebrew style sometimes employs such resumptive pronouns when lengthy qualifiers separate the subject from the verb.
182. Judges 4:4 tn Or “judging.”
183. Judges 4:5 tn That is, “consider legal disputes.”
184. Judges 4:5 tn Heb “for judgment.”
185. Judges 4:6 tn Heb “sent and summoned.”
186. Judges 4:7 tn Heb “horde”; “multitude.”
187. Judges 4:9 tn Or “honor.”
188. Judges 4:9 tn Heb “on [account of (?)] the way which you are walking.” Another option is to translate, “due to the way you are going about this.” In this case direct reference is made to Barak’s hesitancy as the reason for his loss of glory.
189. Judges 4:9 tn Heb “for into the hands of a woman the Lord will sell Sisera.”
190. Judges 4:10 tn Heb “went up at his feet.”
191. Judges 4:11 tn Or “separated.”
192. Judges 4:11 tn Heb “pitched his tent.”
193. Judges 4:12 tn Heb “and they told Sisera.”
194. Judges 4:13 tn Heb “Sisera.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
195. Judges 4:13 tn Or “summoned.”
196. Judges 4:14 tn Heb “Arise!”
197. Judges 4:14 tn The verb form (a Hebrew perfect, indicating completed action from the standpoint of the speaker) emphasizes the certainty of the event. Though it had not yet taken place, the Lord speaks of it as a “done deal.”
198. Judges 4:14 tn Heb “Has the Lord not gone out before you?”
199. Judges 4:15 tn Or “caused to panic.”
200. Judges 4:15 tn The Hebrew text also includes the phrase “before Barak.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
201. Judges 4:15 tn Heb “got down from.”
202. Judges 4:16 tn Heb “fell.”
203. Judges 4:16 tn Heb “was left.”
204. Judges 4:17 tn Heb “for there was peace between.”
205. Judges 4:18 tn Heb “Turn aside” (also a second time later in this verse).
206. Judges 4:18 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Sisera) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
207. Judges 4:21 tn Heb “took a tent peg and put a hammer in her hand.”
208. Judges 4:21 tn Heb “and it went into the ground.”
209. Judges 4:21 tn Heb “and exhausted.” Another option is to understand this as a reference to the result of the fatal blow. In this case, the phrase could be translated, “and he breathed his last.”
210. Judges 4:22 tn Heb “he went to her.”
211. Judges 4:22 tn Heb “fallen, dead.”
212. Judges 4:24 tn Heb “The hand of the Israelites became more and more severe against.”
213. Judges 4:24 tn Heb “cut off.”
214. Judges 4:24 tn Heb “Jabin king of Canaan.” The proper name and title have been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
215. Judges 5:1 tn The words “this victory song” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
216. Judges 5:2 tn The meaning of the Hebrew expression בִּפְרֹעַ פְּרָעוֹת (bifroaʿ p^eraʿot) is uncertain. Numerous proposals are offered by commentators. (For a survey of opinions, see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 223-27.) The next line refers to the people who responded to Barak’s summons to war, so a reference to the leaders who issued the summons would provide a natural poetic parallel. In v. 9 the leaders (חוֹקְקֵי, khoq^eqe) of the people and these same volunteers stand in poetic parallelism, so it is reasonable to assume that the difficult Hebrew term פְּרַעוֹת (p^eraʿot, v. 2a) is synonymous with חוֹקְקֵי (khoq^eqe) of v. 9 (see Lindars, 227).
217. Judges 5:3 tn Heb “I, to the Lord, I, I will sing!” The first singular personal pronoun is used twice, even though a first person finite verbal form is employed.
218. Judges 5:3 tn Or “make music.”
219. Judges 5:4 tn Or “went out.”
220. Judges 5:4 tn Heb “water.”
221. Judges 5:5 tn Or “quaked.” The translation assumes the form נָזֹלּוּ (nazollu) from the root זָלַל (zalal, “to quake”; see HALOT 272 s.v. II זלל). The LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Targum also understood the word this way. (See Isa 63:19 and 64:2 for other occurrences of this form.) Some understand here the verb נָזַל (nazal, “to flow [with torrents of rain water]”).
222. Judges 5:5 tn Heb “this one of Sinai.” The phrase is a divine title, perhaps indicating that the Lord rules from Sinai.
223. Judges 5:6 tc The translation assumes the form אֳרְחוֹת (ʾor^ekhot, “caravans”) rather than אֳרָחוֹת (ʾorakhot, “roadways”) because it makes a tighter parallel with “travelers” in the next line.
224. Judges 5:6 tn Or “ceased.”
225. Judges 5:6 tn Heb “Ones walking on paths.”
226. Judges 5:7 tn The meaning of the Hebrew noun פְרָזוֹן (f^erazon) is uncertain. Some understand the meaning as “leaders” or “those living in rural areas.” The singular noun appears to be collective (note the accompanying plural verb). For various options see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 237-38.
227. Judges 5:7 tn Or “ceased.”
228. Judges 5:7 tn The translation assumes that the verb is an archaic second feminine singular form. Though Deborah is named as one of the composers of the song (v. 1), she is also addressed within it (v. 12). Many take the verb as first person singular, “I arose” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV).
229. Judges 5:7 tn Heb “mother.” The translation assumes that the image portrays Deborah as a protector of the people. It is possible that the metaphor points to her prophetic role. Just as a male prophet could be called “father,” so Deborah, a prophetess, is called “mother” (B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 239).
230. Judges 5:8 tn Or “warriors.” The Hebrew text reads literally, “He chose God/gods new.” Some take “Israel” as the subject of the verb, “gods” as object, and “new” as an adjective modifying “gods.” This yields the translation, “(Israel) chose new gods.” In this case idolatry is the cause of the trouble alluded to in the context. The present translation takes “God” as subject of the verb and “new” as substantival, referring to the new leaders raised up by God (see v. 9a). For a survey of opinions and a defense of the present translation, see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 239-40.
231. Judges 5:8 tn The translation of this difficult line is speculative because the second word, לָחֶם (lakhem), appears only here. The line in the Hebrew text literally reads, “Then [?] gates.” Interpretations and emendations of the Hebrew text abound (see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 239-40). The translation assumes a repointing of the form as a Qal participle לֹחֵם (lokhem) from the verbal root לָחַם (lakham, “fight”) and understands a substantival use (“fighter”). “Fighter” is a collective reference to the military leaders or warriors mentioned in the preceding line and in v. 9. (For other occurrences of the Qal of לָחַם, see Pss 35:1; 56:2-3.)
232. Judges 5:8 tn Heb “A shield, it could not be seen, nor a spear.” The translation assumes that the Hebrew particle אִם (ʾim) introduces an oath of denial (see GKC 472 §149.e).
233. Judges 5:8 tn Traditionally “forty thousand,” but this may be an instance where Hebrew term אֶלֶף (ʾelef) refers to a military unit. This is the view assumed by the translation (“forty military units”).
234. Judges 5:9 tn The words “went out” are supplied in the translation for clarity.
235. Judges 5:10 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word מִדִּין (middin, “saddle blankets”) in this context is uncertain.
236. Judges 5:11 tn The word “Hear” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
237. Judges 5:11 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain. Some translate “those who distribute the water” (HALOT 344 s.v. חצץ pi). For other options see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 246-47.
238. Judges 5:11 tn Or perhaps “repeat.”
239. Judges 5:11 tn See the note on the term “warriors” in v. 7.
240. Judges 5:12 tn Heb “take captive your captives.” (The Hebrew text uses a cognate accusative here.)
241. Judges 5:13 tn This probably refers to those who responded to the call for war. They were “survivors” of the Canaanite oppression (see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 250).
242. Judges 5:13 tn The translation assumes a repointing of the verb as a perfect or imperfect/preterite form of יָרַד (yarad, “to go down”). The form as pointed in the MT appears to be from רָדָה (radah, “to rule”). See GKC 188 §69.g. The same form, translated “came down,” occurs in the next line as well.
243. Judges 5:13 sn The expression mighty ones probably refers to the leaders of the army.
244. Judges 5:13 sn The speaker may be Deborah here.
245. Judges 5:13 tn The translation assumes the preposition ב (bet) prefixed to “warriors” has the force of “in the capacity of.” For this use of the preposition, see GKC 379 §119.i.
246. Judges 5:14 tn Heb “From Ephraim their root in Amalek” (the words “they came” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons). Because of the difficulty of the MT, many prefer to follow one of the ancient versions or emend the text. For various proposals see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 252-53. The present translation repoints שָׁרְשָׁם (shorsham, traditionally translated “their root”) as a Piel verb form with enclitic mem (ם). The preposition ב (bet) on עֲמָלֵק (ʿamaleq) introduces the object (see Job 31:12 for an example of the construction). Ephraim’s territory encompassed the hill country of the Amalekites (Judg 12:15).
247. Judges 5:14 tn The words “They follow” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
248. Judges 5:14 tn The word “came” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
249. Judges 5:14 tn Or possibly “who carry.”
250. Judges 5:15 tn Heb “Issachar.” The words “the men of” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
251. Judges 5:15 tn Or “were true to.”
252. Judges 5:15 tn Heb “at his feet.”
253. Judges 5:15 tn Heb “great was.”
254. Judges 5:15 tc The great majority of Hebrew mss have “resolves of heart,” but a few mss read “searchings of heart,” which is preferable in light of v. 16.
255. Judges 5:16 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word מִשְׁפְּתַיִם (mishp^etayim) is uncertain. Some understand the word to mean “campfires.”
256. Judges 5:16 tn Or “whistling.”
257. Judges 5:16 tn Heb “listening to the pipe playing for the flocks.”
258. Judges 5:17 tn Heb “lived” or “settled down.”sn Apparently the people of Gilead remained on the other side of the river and did not participate in the battle.
259. Judges 5:17 tn Heb “Dan, why did he live as a resident alien, ships.” The verb גּוּר (gur) usually refers to taking up residence outside one’s native land. Perhaps the Danites, rather than rallying to Barak, were content to move to the Mediterranean coast and work in the shipyards. For further discussion, see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 262.
260. Judges 5:17 tn Heb “lived.”
261. Judges 5:17 tn Heb “lived” or “settled down.”
262. Judges 5:17 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word מִפְרָץ (mifrats) is uncertain, but the parallelism (note “seacoast”) suggests “harbors.”
263. Judges 5:18 tn Heb “Zebulun was a people which despised its life even unto death.”
264. Judges 5:18 tn Heb “Naphtali was on the heights of the field.”
265. Judges 5:19 tn The contrastive conjunction “but” is interpretive.
266. Judges 5:20 tn Or “from heaven.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
267. Judges 5:20 tn The MT takes “the stars” with what follows rather than with the first colon of v. 20. But for metrical reasons it seems better to move the atnakh (colon divider) and read the colon as indicated in the translation.
268. Judges 5:20 tn The words “in the heavens” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
269. Judges 5:21 tn Possibly “the ancient river,” but it seems preferable in light of the parallel line (which has a verb) to emend the word (attested only here) to a verb (קָדַם, qadam) with pronominal object suffix.
270. Judges 5:21 tn This line is traditionally taken as the poet-warrior’s self-exhortation, “March on, my soul, in strength!” The present translation (a) takes the verb (a second feminine singular form) as addressed to Deborah (cf. v. 12), (b) understands נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) in its well-attested sense of “throat; neck” (cf. Jonah 2:6), (c) takes the final yod (י) on נַפְשִׁי (nafshi) as an archaic construct indicator (rather than a suffix), and (d) interprets עֹז (ʿoz, “strength”) as an attributive genitive (literally, “necks of strength,” i.e., “strong necks”). For fuller discussion and various proposals, see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 270-71.
271. Judges 5:22 tc The MT as it stands has a singular noun, but if one moves the prefixed mem (מ) from the beginning of the next word to the end of סוּס (sus), the expected plural form is achieved. Another possibility is to understand an error of scribal haplography here, in which case the letter mem should appear in both places.
272. Judges 5:22 tn The words “the ground” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarification.
273. Judges 5:22 tn Heb “galloped, galloped.” The repetition is for emphasis and is more appropriately indicated in English with an adverb.
274. Judges 5:23 tn Heb “Curse Meroz.”
275. Judges 5:23 tn Heb “Curse, cursing.” The Hebrew construction is emphatic.
276. Judges 5:23 tn Heb “[to] curse.”
277. Judges 5:23 tn Heb “to the help of the Lord” (the same Hebrew phrase occurs in the following line). Another option is to read “to aid the Lord’s cause.”
278. Judges 5:23 tn Or “along with the other warriors.”
279. Judges 5:24 tn Or “blessed.”
280. Judges 5:25 tn Or “for mighty ones.”
281. Judges 5:26 tn The adjective “left” is interpretive, based on the context. Note that the next line pictures Jael holding the hammer with her right hand.
282. Judges 5:26 tn The verb used here is from the same root as the noun “hammer” in the preceding line.
283. Judges 5:26 tn Or “head.”
284. Judges 5:26 tn The phrase “his head” (an implied direct object) is supplied in the translation for clarification.
285. Judges 5:26 tn Heb “she pierced his temple.”
286. Judges 5:27 tn Heb “and he lay.
287. Judges 5:27 tn Or “dead.”
288. Judges 5:28 tn Heb “chariots.”
289. Judges 5:29 tn Or “princesses.”
290. Judges 5:30 tn Heb “Are they not finding, dividing the plunder?”
291. Judges 5:30 tn Heb “a womb or two for each man.” The words “to rape” are interpretive. The Hebrew noun translated “girl” means literally “womb” (BDB 933 s.v. I. רַחַם), but in this context may refer by extension to the female genitalia. In this case the obscene language of Sisera’s mother alludes to the sexual brutality which typified the aftermath of battle.
292. Judges 5:30 tn Heb “the plunder of dyed cloth is for Sisera.”
293. Judges 5:30 tn Heb “the plunder of embroidered cloth.”
294. Judges 5:30 tn The translation assumes an emendation of the noun (“plunder”) to a participle, “plunderer.”
295. Judges 5:31 tn Heb “But may those who love him be like the going forth of the sun in its strength.”