Judges 1:22

Partial Success

1:22 When the men ¹  of Joseph attacked ²  Bethel, ³  the Lord was with them.

Judges 8:9

8:9 He also threatened ⁴  the men of Penuel, warning, ⁵  “When I return victoriously, ⁶  I will tear down this tower.”

Judges 8:31

8:31 His concubine, ⁷  who lived in Shechem, also gave him a son, whom he named Abimelech. ⁸ 

¹ tn Heb “house.” This is a metonymy for the warriors from the tribe.

² tn Heb “went up.”

³ map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.

⁴ tn Heb “said to.” The translation “threatened” is interpretive, but is clearly indicated by the context.

⁵ tn Heb “saying.”

⁶ tn Or “safely.” Heb “in peace.”

⁷ sn A concubine was a slave woman in ancient Near Eastern societies who was the legal property of her master, but who could have legitimate sexual relations with her master. A concubine’s status was more elevated than a mere servant, but she was not free and did not have the legal rights of a free wife. The children of a concubine could, in some instances, become equal heirs with the children of the free wife. After the period of the Judges concubines may have become more of a royal prerogative (2 Sam 21:10-14; 1 Kgs 11:3).

⁸ sn The name Abimelech means “my father is king.”