4:12 When Sisera heard 1 that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor,
9:26 Gaal son of Ebed 4 came through Shechem with his brothers. The leaders of Shechem transferred their loyalty to him. 5
9:30 When Zebul, the city commissioner, heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he was furious. 6
13:24 Manoah’s wife 7 gave birth to a son and named him Samson. 8 The child grew and the Lord empowered 9 him.
1 tn Heb “and they told Sisera.”
2 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).
3 sn The name Abimelech means “my father is king.”
3 sn The name Gaal derives from, or at least sounds like, a Hebrew verb meaning “to abhor, loathe.” His father’s name, Ebed, means “servant.” Perhaps then this could be translated, “loathsome one, son of a servant.” This individual’s very name (which may be the narrator’s nickname for him, not his actual name) seems to hint at his immoral character and lowly social status.
4 tn Heb “trusted in him.” Here the verb probably describes more than a mental attitude. It is likely that the Shechemites made an alliance with Gaal and were now trusting him for protection in return for their loyalty (and probably tribute).
4 tn Heb “his anger burned.”
5 tn Heb “the woman.” For clarity this has been specified in the translation as “Manoah’s wife.”
6 tn The name appears to mean “sun-like” or “solar.”
7 tn Traditionally, “blessed.”