Text -- Judges 10:16-18 (NET)

10:16 They threw away the foreign gods they owned and worshiped the Lord. Finally the Lord grew tired of seeing Israel suffer so much.

An Outcast Becomes a General

10:17 The Ammonites assembled and camped in Gilead; the Israelites gathered together and camped in Mizpah. 10:18 The leaders of Gilead said to one another, “Who is willing to lead the charge against the Ammonites? He will become the leader of all who live in Gilead!”

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Jdg 10:16

¹ tn Heb “from their midst.”

² tn Or “served”; or “followed.”

³ tn Heb “And his spirit grew short [i.e., impatient] with the suffering of Israel.” The Hebrew noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) also appears as the subject of the verb קָצַר (qatsar) in Num 21:4 (the Israelites grow impatient wandering in the wilderness), Judg 16:16 (Samson grows impatient with Delilah’s constant nagging), and Zech 11:8 (Zechariah grows impatient with the three negligent “shepherds”).

NET Notes: Jdg 10:17

¹ tn Or “were summoned;” or “were mustered.”

NET Notes: Jdg 10:18

¹ tn Heb “the people, the officers.”

² tn Heb “Who is the man who will begin fighting.”