Hakim-hakim 2:6

The End of an Era

2:6 When Joshua dismissed ¹  the people, the Israelites went to their allotted portions of territory, ²  intending to take possession of the land.

Hakim-hakim 9:23

9:23 God sent a spirit to stir up hostility ³  between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. He made the leaders of Shechem disloyal ⁴  to Abimelech.

[2:6]  ¹ tn Or “sent away.”

[2:6]  ² tn Heb “the Israelites went each to his inheritance.”

[9:23]  ³ tn Heb “an evil spirit.” A nonphysical, spirit being is in view, like the one who volunteered to deceive Ahab (1 Kgs 22:21). The traditional translation, “evil spirit,” implies the being is inherently wicked, perhaps even demonic, but this is not necessarily the case. The Hebrew adjective רָעַה (ra’ah) can have a nonethical sense, “harmful; dangerous; calamitous.” When modifying רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) it may simply indicate that the being in view causes harm to the object of God’s judgment. G. F. Moore (Judges [ICC], 253) here refers to a “mischief-making spirit.”

[9:23]  ⁴ tn Heb “The leaders of Shechem were disloyal.” The words “he made” are supplied in the translation for clarification.