Judges 1:19

1:19 The Lord was with the men of Judah. They conquered ¹  the hill country, but they could not ²  conquer the people living in the coastal plain, because they had chariots with iron-rimmed wheels. ³ 

Judges 2:19

2:19 When a leader died, the next generation ⁴  would again ⁵  act more wickedly than the previous one. ⁶  They would follow after other gods, worshiping them ⁷  and bowing down to them. They did not give up ⁸  their practices or their stubborn ways.

Judges 8:24

8:24 Gideon continued, ⁹  “I would like to make one request. Each of you give me an earring from the plunder you have taken.” ¹⁰  (The Midianites ¹¹  had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

Judges 8:33

Israel Returns to Baal-Worship

8:33 After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They made Baal-Berith ¹²  their god.

Judges 9:9

9:9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my oil, which is used to honor gods and men, just to sway above the other trees!’ ¹³ 

Judges 9:11

9:11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my sweet figs, my excellent fruit, just to sway above the other trees!’ ¹⁴ 

Judges 9:13

9:13 But the grapevine said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my wine, which makes gods and men so happy, just to sway above the other trees!’ ¹⁵ 

Judges 14:14

14:14 He said to them,

“Out of the one who eats came something to eat;

out of the strong one came something sweet.”

They could not solve the riddle for three days.

Judges 15:12

15:12 They said to him, “We have come down to take you prisoner so we can hand you over to the Philistines.” Samson said to them, “Promise me ¹⁶  you will not kill ¹⁷  me.”

Judges 18:31

18:31 They worshiped ¹⁸  Micah’s carved image ¹⁹  the whole time God’s authorized shrine ²⁰  was in Shiloh.

Judges 21:13

21:13 The entire assembly sent messengers to the Benjaminites at the cliff of Rimmon and assured them they would not be harmed. ²¹ 

Judges 21:18

21:18 But we can’t allow our daughters to marry them, ²²  for the Israelites took an oath, saying, ‘Whoever gives a woman to a Benjaminite will be destroyed!’ ²³ 

¹ tn Or “seized possession of”; or “occupied.”

² tc Several textual witnesses support the inclusion of this verb.

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.

⁴ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the next generation) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁵ 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.

⁶ tn Heb “their fathers.”

⁷ tn Or “serving [them]”; or “following [them].”

⁸ tn Or “drop.”

⁷ tn Heb “said to them.”

⁸ tn Heb “Give to me, each one, an earring from his plunder.”

⁹ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Midianites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁰ sn Baal-Berith was a local manifestation of the Canaanite storm god. The name means, ironically, “Baal of the covenant.” Israel’s covenant allegiance had indeed shifted.

¹³ tn Heb “Should I stop my abundance, with which they honor gods and men, and go to sway over the trees?” The negative sentence in the translation reflects the force of the rhetorical question.

¹⁶ tn Heb “Should I stop my sweetness and my good fruit and go to sway over the trees? The negative sentence in the translation reflects the force of the rhetorical question.

¹⁹ tn Heb “Should I stop my wine, which makes happy gods and men, and go to sway over the trees?” The negative sentence in the translation reflects the force of the rhetorical question.

²² tn Or “swear to me.”

²³ tn Heb “meet [with hostility]”; “harm.” In light of v. 13, “kill” is an appropriate translation.

²⁵ tn Heb “they set up for themselves.”

²⁶ tn Heb “the carved image that Micah had made.”

²⁷ tn Heb “the house of God.”

²⁸ tn Heb “And all the assembly sent and spoke to the sons of Benjamin who were at the cliff of Rimmon and they proclaimed to them peace.”

³¹ tn Heb “But we are not able to give to them wives from our daughters.”

³² tn Heb “is cursed.”