Hakim-hakim 5:16

5:16 Why do you remain among the sheepfolds, ¹ 

listening to the shepherds playing their pipes ²  for their flocks? ³ 

As for the clans of Reuben – there was intense searching of heart.

Hakim-hakim 6:17

6:17 Gideon ⁴  said to him, “If you really are pleased with me, ⁵  then give me ⁶  a sign as proof that it is really you speaking with me.

Hakim-hakim 6:22

6:22 When Gideon realized ⁷  that it was the Lord’s messenger, he ⁸  said, “Oh no! ⁹  Master, Lord! ¹⁰  I have seen the Lord’s messenger face to face!”

Hakim-hakim 8:6

8:6 The officials of Succoth said, “You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give ¹¹  bread to your army?” ¹² 

Hakim-hakim 11:8

11:8 The leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That may be true, ¹³  but now we pledge to you our loyalty. ¹⁴  Come with us and fight with the Ammonites. Then you will become the leader ¹⁵  of all who live in Gilead.” ¹⁶ 

Hakim-hakim 14:4

14:4 Now his father and mother did not realize this was the Lord’s doing, ¹⁷  because he was looking for an opportunity to stir up trouble with the Philistines ¹⁸  (for at that time the Philistines were ruling Israel).

Hakim-hakim 15:13

15:13 They said to him, “We promise! ¹⁹  We will only take you prisoner and hand you over to them. We promise not to kill you.” They tied him up with two brand new ropes and led him up from the cliff.

[5:16]  ¹ tn The meaning of the Hebrew word מִשְׁפְּתַיִם (mishpÿtayim) is uncertain. Some understand the word to mean “campfires.”

[5:16]  ² tn Or “whistling.”

[5:16]  ³ tn Heb “listening to the pipe playing for the flocks.”

[6:17]  ⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Gideon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[6:17]  ⁵ tn Heb “If I have found favor in your eyes.”

[6:17]  ⁶ tn Heb “perform for me.”

[6:22]  ⁷ tn Heb “saw.”

[6:22]  ⁸ tn Heb “Gideon.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[6:22]  ⁹ tn Or “Ah!”

[6:22]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew text reads אֲדֹנַי יְהוִה (’adonay yÿhvih, “Lord [the same title used in v. 15], Lord”).

[8:6]  ¹¹ tn Or perhaps, “sell.”

[8:6]  ¹² tn Heb “Are the palms of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give to your army bread?” Perhaps the reference to the kings’ “palms” should be taken literally. The officials of Succoth may be alluding to the practice of mutilating prisoners or enemy corpses (see R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 155).

[8:6]  sn The officials of Succoth are hesitant to give (or sell) food to Gideon’s forces because they are not sure of the outcome of the battle. Perhaps they had made an alliance with the Midianites which demanded their loyalty.

[11:8]  ¹³ tn Heb “therefore”; “even so.” For MT לָכֵן (lakhen, “therefore”) the LXX has an opposite reading, “not so,” which seems to be based on the Hebrew words לֹא כֵן (lo’ khen).

[11:8]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “we have returned to you.” For another example of שׁוּב אֶל (shuv ’el) in the sense of “give allegiance to,” see 1 Kgs 12:27b.

[11:8]  ¹⁵ sn Then you will become the leader. The leaders of Gilead now use the word רֹאשׁ (ro’sh, “head, leader”), the same term that appeared in their original, general offer (see 10:18). In their initial offer to Jephthah they had simply invited him to be their קָצִין (qatsin, “commander”; v. 6). When he resists they must offer him a more attractive reward – rulership over the region. See R. G. Boling, Judges (AB), 198.

[11:8]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “leader of us and all who live in Gilead.”

[14:4]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “this was from the LORD.”

[14:4]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “for an opportunity he was seeking from the Philistines.”

[15:13]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “No,” meaning that they will not harm him.