Discovery BoxJudges 10:1
Context10:1 After Abimelech’s death, 1 Tola son of Puah, grandson 2 of Dodo, from the tribe of Issachar, 3 rose up to deliver Israel. He lived in Shamir in the Ephraimite hill country.
Judges 11:1-40
Context11:1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a brave warrior. His mother was a prostitute, but Gilead was his father. 4 11:2 Gilead’s wife also gave 5 him sons. When his wife’s sons grew up, they made Jephthah leave and said to him, “You are not going to inherit any of our father’s wealth, 6 because you are another woman’s son.” 11:3 So Jephthah left 7 his half-brothers 8 and lived in the land of Tob. Lawless men joined Jephthah’s gang and traveled with him. 9
11:4 It was some time after this when the Ammonites fought with Israel. 11:5 When the Ammonites attacked, 10 the leaders 11 of Gilead asked Jephthah to come back 12 from the land of Tob. 11:6 They said, 13 “Come, be our commander, so we can fight with the Ammonites.” 11:7 Jephthah said to the leaders of Gilead, “But you hated me and made me leave 14 my father’s house. Why do you come to me now, when you are in trouble?” 11:8 The leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That may be true, 15 but now we pledge to you our loyalty. 16 Come with us and fight with the Ammonites. Then you will become the leader 17 of all who live in Gilead.” 18 11:9 Jephthah said to the leaders of Gilead, “All right! 19 If you take me back to fight with the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me, 20 I will be your leader.” 21 11:10 The leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The Lord will judge any grievance you have against us, 22 if we do not do as you say.” 23 11:11 So Jephthah went with the leaders of Gilead. The people made him their leader and commander. Jephthah repeated the terms of the agreement 24 before the Lord in Mizpah.
11:12 Jephthah sent messengers to the Ammonite king, saying, “Why have 25 you come against me to attack my land?” 11:13 The Ammonite king said to Jephthah’s messengers, “Because Israel stole 26 my land when they 27 came up from Egypt – from the Arnon River in the south to the Jabbok River in the north, and as far west as the Jordan. 28 Now return it 29 peaceably!”
11:14 Jephthah sent messengers back to the Ammonite king 11:15 and said to him, “This is what Jephthah says, ‘Israel did not steal 30 the land of Moab and the land of the Ammonites. 11:16 When they left 31 Egypt, Israel traveled 32 through the desert as far as the Red Sea and then came to Kadesh. 11:17 Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Please allow us 33 to pass through your land.” But the king of Edom rejected the request. 34 Israel sent the same request to the king of Moab, but he was unwilling to cooperate. 35 So Israel stayed at Kadesh. 11:18 Then Israel 36 went through the desert and bypassed the land of Edom and the land of Moab. They traveled east of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon River; 37 they did not go through Moabite territory (the Arnon was Moab’s border). 11:19 Israel sent messengers to King Sihon, the Amorite king who ruled in Heshbon, and said to him, “Please allow us to pass through your land to our land.” 38 11:20 But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory. He 39 assembled his whole army, 40 camped in Jahaz, and fought with Israel. 11:21 The Lord God of Israel handed Sihon and his whole army over to Israel and they defeated them. Israel took 41 all the land of the Amorites who lived in that land. 11:22 They took all the Amorite territory from the Arnon River on the south to the Jabbok River on the north, from the desert in the east to the Jordan in the west. 42 11:23 Since 43 the Lord God of Israel has driven out 44 the Amorites before his people Israel, do you think you can just take it from them? 45 11:24 You have the right to take what Chemosh your god gives you, but we will take the land of all whom the Lord our God has driven out before us. 46 11:25 Are you really better than Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab? Did he dare to quarrel with Israel? Did he dare to fight with them? 47 11:26 Israel has been living in Heshbon and its nearby towns, in Aroer and its nearby towns, and in all the cities along the Arnon for three hundred years! Why did you not reclaim them during that time? 11:27 I have not done you wrong, 48 but you are doing wrong 49 by attacking me. May the Lord, the Judge, judge this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites!’” 11:28 But the Ammonite king disregarded 50 the message sent by Jephthah. 51
11:29 The Lord’s spirit empowered 52 Jephthah. He passed through Gilead and Manasseh and went 53 to Mizpah in Gilead. From there he approached the Ammonites. 54 11:30 Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, saying, “If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me, 11:31 then whoever is the first to come through 55 the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from fighting the Ammonites – he 56 will belong to the Lord and 57 I will offer him up as a burnt sacrifice.” 11:32 Jephthah approached 58 the Ammonites to fight with them, and the Lord handed them over to him. 11:33 He defeated them from Aroer all the way to Minnith – twenty cities in all, even as far as Abel Keramim! He wiped them out! 59 The Israelites humiliated the Ammonites. 60
11:34 When Jephthah came home to Mizpah, there was his daughter hurrying out 61 to meet him, dancing to the rhythm of tambourines. 62 She was his only child; except for her he had no son or daughter. 11:35 When he saw her, he ripped his clothes and said, “Oh no! My daughter! You have completely ruined me! 63 You have brought me disaster! 64 I made an oath to the Lord, and I cannot break it.” 65 11:36 She said to him, “My father, since 66 you made an oath to the Lord, do to me as you promised. 67 After all, the Lord vindicated you before 68 your enemies, the Ammonites.” 11:37 She then said to her father, “Please grant me this one wish. 69 For two months allow me to walk through the hills with my friends and mourn my virginity.” 70 11:38 He said, “You may go.” He permitted her to leave 71 for two months. She went with her friends and mourned her virginity as she walked through the hills. 72 11:39 After two months she returned to her father, and he did to her as he had vowed. She died a virgin. 73 Her tragic death gave rise to a custom in Israel. 74 11:40 Every year 75 Israelite women commemorate 76 the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite for four days. 77
Judges 1:1-36
Context1:1 After Joshua died, the Israelites asked 78 the Lord, “Who should lead the invasion against the Canaanites and launch the attack?” 79 1:2 The Lord said, “The men of Judah should take the lead. 80 Be sure of this! I am handing the land over to them.” 81 1:3 The men of Judah said to their relatives, the men of Simeon, 82 “Invade our allotted land with us and help us attack the Canaanites. 83 Then we 84 will go with you into your allotted land.” So the men of Simeon went with them.
1:4 The men of Judah attacked, 85 and the Lord handed the Canaanites and Perizzites over to them. They killed ten thousand men at Bezek. 1:5 They met 86 Adoni-Bezek at Bezek and fought him. They defeated the Canaanites and Perizzites. 1:6 When Adoni-Bezek ran away, they chased him and captured him. Then they cut off his thumbs and big toes. 1:7 Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings, with thumbs and big toes cut off, used to lick up 87 food scraps 88 under my table. God has repaid me for what I did to them.” 89 They brought him to Jerusalem, 90 where he died. 1:8 The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it. They put the sword to it and set the city on fire.
1:9 Later the men of Judah went down to attack the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev, and the lowlands. 91 1:10 The men of Judah attacked the Canaanites living in Hebron. (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba.) They killed Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. 1:11 From there they attacked the people of Debir. 92 (Debir used to be called Kiriath Sepher.) 1:12 Caleb said, “To the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher I will give my daughter Acsah as a wife.” 1:13 When Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, 93 captured it, Caleb 94 gave him his daughter Acsah as a wife.
1:14 One time Acsah 95 came and charmed her father 96 so she could ask him for some land. When she got down from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What would you like?” 1:15 She answered, “Please give me a special present. 97 Since you have given me land in the Negev, now give me springs of water.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs. 98
1:16 Now the descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the City of Date Palm Trees to Arad in the desert of Judah, 99 located in the Negev. 100 They went and lived with the people of Judah. 101
1:17 The men of Judah went with their brothers the men of Simeon 102 and defeated the Canaanites living in Zephath. They wiped out Zephath. 103 So people now call the city Hormah. 104 1:18 The men of Judah captured Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, and the territory surrounding each of these cities. 105
1:19 The Lord was with the men of Judah. They conquered 106 the hill country, but they could not 107 conquer the people living in the coastal plain, because they had chariots with iron-rimmed wheels. 108 1:20 Caleb received 109 Hebron, just as Moses had promised. He drove out the three Anakites. 1:21 The men of Benjamin, however, did not conquer the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. 110 The Jebusites live with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this very day. 111
1:22 When the men 112 of Joseph attacked 113 Bethel, 114 the Lord was with them. 1:23 When the men of Joseph spied out Bethel (it used to be called Luz), 1:24 the spies spotted 115 a man leaving the city. They said to him, “If you show us a secret entrance into the city, we will reward you.” 1:25 He showed them a secret entrance into the city, and they put the city to the sword. But they let the man and his extended family leave safely. 1:26 He 116 moved to Hittite country and built a city. He named it Luz, and it has kept that name to this very day.
1:27 The men of Manasseh did not conquer Beth Shan, Taanach, or their surrounding towns. Nor did they conquer the people living in Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo 117 or their surrounding towns. 118 The Canaanites managed 119 to remain in those areas. 120 1:28 Whenever Israel was strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them.
1:29 The men of Ephraim did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites lived among them in Gezer.
1:30 The men of Zebulun did not conquer the people living in Kitron and Nahalol. 121 The Canaanites lived among them and were forced to do hard labor.
1:31 The men of Asher did not conquer the people living in Acco or Sidon, 122 nor did they conquer Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphek, or Rehob. 123 1:32 The people of Asher live among the Canaanites residing in the land because they did not conquer them.
1:33 The men of Naphtali did not conquer the people living in Beth Shemesh or Beth Anath. 124 They live among the Canaanites residing in the land. The Canaanites 125 living in Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were forced to do hard labor for them.
1:34 The Amorites forced the people of Dan to live in the hill country. They did not allow them to live in 126 the coastal plain. 1:35 The Amorites managed 127 to remain in Har Heres, 128 Aijalon, and Shaalbim. Whenever the tribe of Joseph was strong militarily, 129 the Amorites were forced to do hard labor. 1:36 The border of Amorite territory ran from the Scorpion Ascent 130 to Sela and on up. 131
Judges 1:1-36
Context1:1 After Joshua died, the Israelites asked 132 the Lord, “Who should lead the invasion against the Canaanites and launch the attack?” 133 1:2 The Lord said, “The men of Judah should take the lead. 134 Be sure of this! I am handing the land over to them.” 135 1:3 The men of Judah said to their relatives, the men of Simeon, 136 “Invade our allotted land with us and help us attack the Canaanites. 137 Then we 138 will go with you into your allotted land.” So the men of Simeon went with them.
1:4 The men of Judah attacked, 139 and the Lord handed the Canaanites and Perizzites over to them. They killed ten thousand men at Bezek. 1:5 They met 140 Adoni-Bezek at Bezek and fought him. They defeated the Canaanites and Perizzites. 1:6 When Adoni-Bezek ran away, they chased him and captured him. Then they cut off his thumbs and big toes. 1:7 Adoni-Bezek said, “Seventy kings, with thumbs and big toes cut off, used to lick up 141 food scraps 142 under my table. God has repaid me for what I did to them.” 143 They brought him to Jerusalem, 144 where he died. 1:8 The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it. They put the sword to it and set the city on fire.
1:9 Later the men of Judah went down to attack the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev, and the lowlands. 145 1:10 The men of Judah attacked the Canaanites living in Hebron. (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba.) They killed Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai. 1:11 From there they attacked the people of Debir. 146 (Debir used to be called Kiriath Sepher.) 1:12 Caleb said, “To the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher I will give my daughter Acsah as a wife.” 1:13 When Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, 147 captured it, Caleb 148 gave him his daughter Acsah as a wife.
1:14 One time Acsah 149 came and charmed her father 150 so she could ask him for some land. When she got down from her donkey, Caleb said to her, “What would you like?” 1:15 She answered, “Please give me a special present. 151 Since you have given me land in the Negev, now give me springs of water.” So Caleb gave her both the upper and lower springs. 152
1:16 Now the descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the City of Date Palm Trees to Arad in the desert of Judah, 153 located in the Negev. 154 They went and lived with the people of Judah. 155
1:17 The men of Judah went with their brothers the men of Simeon 156 and defeated the Canaanites living in Zephath. They wiped out Zephath. 157 So people now call the city Hormah. 158 1:18 The men of Judah captured Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, and the territory surrounding each of these cities. 159
1:19 The Lord was with the men of Judah. They conquered 160 the hill country, but they could not 161 conquer the people living in the coastal plain, because they had chariots with iron-rimmed wheels. 162 1:20 Caleb received 163 Hebron, just as Moses had promised. He drove out the three Anakites. 1:21 The men of Benjamin, however, did not conquer the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. 164 The Jebusites live with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this very day. 165
1:22 When the men 166 of Joseph attacked 167 Bethel, 168 the Lord was with them. 1:23 When the men of Joseph spied out Bethel (it used to be called Luz), 1:24 the spies spotted 169 a man leaving the city. They said to him, “If you show us a secret entrance into the city, we will reward you.” 1:25 He showed them a secret entrance into the city, and they put the city to the sword. But they let the man and his extended family leave safely. 1:26 He 170 moved to Hittite country and built a city. He named it Luz, and it has kept that name to this very day.
1:27 The men of Manasseh did not conquer Beth Shan, Taanach, or their surrounding towns. Nor did they conquer the people living in Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo 171 or their surrounding towns. 172 The Canaanites managed 173 to remain in those areas. 174 1:28 Whenever Israel was strong militarily, they forced the Canaanites to do hard labor, but they never totally conquered them.
1:29 The men of Ephraim did not conquer the Canaanites living in Gezer. The Canaanites lived among them in Gezer.
1:30 The men of Zebulun did not conquer the people living in Kitron and Nahalol. 175 The Canaanites lived among them and were forced to do hard labor.
1:31 The men of Asher did not conquer the people living in Acco or Sidon, 176 nor did they conquer Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphek, or Rehob. 177 1:32 The people of Asher live among the Canaanites residing in the land because they did not conquer them.
1:33 The men of Naphtali did not conquer the people living in Beth Shemesh or Beth Anath. 178 They live among the Canaanites residing in the land. The Canaanites 179 living in Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were forced to do hard labor for them.
1:34 The Amorites forced the people of Dan to live in the hill country. They did not allow them to live in 180 the coastal plain. 1:35 The Amorites managed 181 to remain in Har Heres, 182 Aijalon, and Shaalbim. Whenever the tribe of Joseph was strong militarily, 183 the Amorites were forced to do hard labor. 1:36 The border of Amorite territory ran from the Scorpion Ascent 184 to Sela and on up. 185
[10:1] 1 tn The word “death” has been supplied in the translation for clarification.
[10:1] 3 tn Heb “a man of Issachar.”
[11:1] 4 tn Heb “Now he was the son of a woman, a prostitute, and Gilead fathered Jephthah.”
[11:2] 8 tn Heb “in the house of our father.”
[11:3] 12 tn Heb “Empty men joined themselves to Jephthah and went out with him.”
[11:5] 13 tn Heb “When the Ammonites fought with Israel.”
[11:5] 15 tn Heb “went to take Jephthah.”
[11:6] 16 tn Heb “to Jephthah.”
[11:7] 19 tn Heb “Did you not hate me and make me leave?”
[11:8] 22 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] 23 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] 24 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] 25 tn Heb “leader of us and all who live in Gilead.”
[11:9] 25 tn “All right” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[11:9] 26 tn Heb “places them before me.”
[11:9] 27 tn Some translate the final statement as a question, “will I really be your leader?” An affirmative sentence is preferable. Jephthah is repeating the terms of the agreement in an official manner. In v. 10 the leaders legally agree to these terms.
[11:10] 28 tn Heb “The
[11:10] 29 sn The
[11:11] 31 tn Heb “spoke all his words.” This probably refers to the “words” recorded in v. 9. Jephthah repeats the terms of the agreement at the
[11:12] 34 tn Heb “What to me and to you that…?”
[11:13] 37 tn Or “took”; or “seized.”
[11:13] 38 tn Heb “he” (a collective singular).
[11:13] 39 tn Heb “from the Arnon to the Jabbok and to the Jordan.” The word “River” has been supplied in the translation with “Arnon” and “Jabbok,” because these are less familiar to modern readers than the Jordan.
[11:13] 40 tc The translation assumes a singular suffix (“[return] it”); the Hebrew text has a plural suffix (“[return] them”), which, if retained, might refer to the cities of the land.
[11:15] 40 tn Or “take”; or “seize.”
[11:16] 43 tn Heb “For when they went up from.”
[11:17] 46 tn Heb “me.” (Collective Israel is the speaker.)
[11:17] 47 tn Heb “did not listen.”
[11:17] 48 tn Heb “Also to the king of Moab he sent, but he was unwilling.”
[11:18] 49 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Israel; the pronoun in the Hebrew text represents a collective singular) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:18] 50 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[11:19] 52 tn Heb “to my place.”
[11:20] 55 tn Heb “Sihon.” The proper name (“Sihon”) has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“he”) because of English style; a repetition of the proper name here would be redundant in English.
[11:20] 56 tn Heb “all his people” (also in the following verse).
[11:21] 58 tn That is, took as its own possession.
[11:22] 61 tn Heb “from the Arnon to the Jabbok, and from the desert to the Jordan.” The word “River” has been supplied in the translation with “Arnon” and “Jabbok,” because these are less familiar to modern readers than the Jordan.
[11:23] 65 tn Or “dispossessed.”
[11:23] 66 tn Heb “will you dispossess him [i.e., Israel; or possibly “it,” i.e., the territory]?” There is no interrogative marker in the Hebrew text.
[11:24] 67 tn Heb “Is it not so that what Chemosh your god causes you to possess, you possess, and all whom the
[11:25] 70 tn The Hebrew grammatical constructions of all three rhetorical questions indicate emphasis, which “really” and “dare to” are intended to express in the translation.
[11:27] 73 tn Or “sinned against you.”
[11:28] 76 tn Heb “did not listen to.”
[11:28] 77 tn Heb “Jephthah’s words which he sent to him.”
[11:29] 80 tn Heb “passed through.”
[11:29] 81 tn Heb “From Mizpah in Gilead he passed through [to] the Ammonites.”
[11:31] 82 tn Heb “the one coming out, who comes out from.” The text uses a masculine singular participle with prefixed article, followed by a relative pronoun and third masculine singular verb. The substantival masculine singular participle הַיּוֹצֵא (hayyotse’, “the one coming out”) is used elsewhere of inanimate objects (such as a desert [Num 21:13] or a word [Num 32:24]) or persons (Jer 5:6; 21:9; 38:2). In each case context must determine the referent. Jephthah may have envisioned an animal meeting him, since the construction of Iron Age houses would allow for an animal coming through the doors of a house (see R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 208). But the fact that he actually does offer up his daughter indicates the language of the vow is fluid enough to encompass human beings, including women. He probably intended such an offering from the very beginning, but he obviously did not expect his daughter to meet him first.
[11:31] 83 tn The language is fluid enough to include women and perhaps even animals, but the translation uses the masculine pronoun because the Hebrew form is grammatically masculine.
[11:31] 84 tn Some translate “or,” suggesting that Jephthah makes a distinction between humans and animals. According to this view, if a human comes through the door, then Jephthah will commit him/her to the
[11:32] 85 tn Heb “passed over to.”
[11:33] 88 tn Heb “with a very great slaughter.”
[11:33] 89 tn Heb “The Ammonites were humbled before the Israelites.”
[11:34] 91 tn Heb “Look! His daughter was coming out.”
[11:34] 92 tn Heb “with tambourines and dancing.”
[11:35] 94 tn Heb “you have brought me very low,” or “you have knocked me to my knees.” The infinitive absolute precedes the verb for emphasis.
[11:35] 95 tn Heb “You are among [or “like”] those who trouble me.”
[11:35] 96 tn Heb “I opened my mouth to the
[11:36] 97 tn The conjunction “since” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[11:36] 98 tn Heb “you opened your mouth to the
[11:36] 99 tn Or “has given you vengeance against.”
[11:37] 100 tn Heb “Let this thing be done for me.”
[11:37] 101 tn Heb “Leave me alone for two months so I can go and go down on the hills and weep over my virginity – I and my friends.”
[11:38] 103 tn Heb “he sent her.”
[11:38] 104 tn Heb “on the hills.” The words “as she walked” are supplied.
[11:39] 106 tn Heb “She had never known a man.” Some understand this to mean that her father committed her to a life of celibacy, but the disjunctive clause (note the vav + subject + verb pattern) more likely describes her condition at the time the vow was fulfilled. (See G. F. Moore, Judges [ICC], 302-3; C. F. Burney, Judges, 324.) She died a virgin and never experienced the joys of marriage and motherhood.
[11:39] 107 tn Heb “There was a custom in Israel.”
[11:40] 109 tn Heb “From days to days,” a Hebrew idiom for “annually.”
[11:40] 110 tn Heb “go to commemorate.” The rare Hebrew verb תָּנָה (tanah, “to tell; to repeat; to recount”) occurs only here and in 5:11.
[11:40] 111 tn The Hebrew text adds, “in the year.” This is redundant (note “every year” at the beginning of the verse) and has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[1:1] 112 tn The Hebrew verb translated “asked” (שָׁאַל, sha’al) refers here to consulting the
[1:1] 113 tn Heb “Who should first go up for us against the Canaanites to attack them?”
[1:2] 115 tn Heb “Judah should go up.”
[1:2] 116 tn The Hebrew exclamation הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally, “Behold”), translated “Be sure of this,” draws attention to the following statement. The verb form in the following statement (a Hebrew perfect, indicating completed action from the standpoint of the speaker) emphasizes the certainty of the event. Though it had not yet taken place, the
[1:3] 118 tn Heb “Judah said to Simeon, his brother.”
[1:3] 119 tn Heb “Come up with me into our allotted land and let us attack the Canaanites.”
[1:3] 120 tn Heb “I.” The Hebrew pronoun is singular, agreeing with the collective singular “Judah” earlier in the verse. English style requires a plural pronoun here, however.
[1:4] 121 tn Heb “Judah went up.”
[1:7] 127 tn Elsewhere this verb usually carries the sense of “to gather; to pick up; to glean,” but “lick up” seems best here in light of the peculiar circumstances described by Adoni-Bezek.
[1:7] 128 tn The words “food scraps” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.
[1:7] 129 tn Heb “Just as I did, so God has repaid me.” Note that the phrase “to them” has been supplied in the translation to clarify what is meant.
[1:7] 130 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:9] 130 tn Or “foothills”; Heb “the Shephelah.”
[1:11] 133 tn Heb “they went from there against the inhabitants of Debir.” The LXX reads the verb as “they went up,” which suggests that the Hebrew text translated by the LXX read וַיַּעַל (vayya’al) rather than the MT’s וַיֵּלֶךְ (vayyelekh). It is possible that this is the text to be preferred in v. 11. Cf. Josh 15:15.
[1:13] 136 tn “Caleb’s younger brother” may refer to Othniel or to Kenaz (in which case Othniel was Caleb’s nephew; so CEV).
[1:13] 137 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Caleb) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:14] 139 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Acsah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:14] 140 tn Heb “him.” The pronoun could refer to Othniel, in which case one would translate, “she incited him [Othniel] to ask her father for a field.” This is problematic, however, for Acsah, not Othniel, makes the request in v. 15. The LXX has “he [Othniel] urged her to ask her father for a field.” This appears to be an attempt to reconcile the apparent inconsistency and probably does not reflect the original text. If Caleb is understood as the referent of the pronoun, the problem disappears. For a fuller discussion of the issue, see P. G. Mosca, “Who Seduced Whom? A Note on Joshua 15:18 // Judges 1:14,” CBQ 46 (1984): 18-22. The translation takes Caleb to be the referent, specified as “her father.”
[1:15] 142 tn Elsewhere the Hebrew word בְרָכָה (vÿrakhah) is often translated “blessing,” but here it refers to a gift (as in Gen 33:11; 1 Sam 25:27; 30:26; and 2 Kgs 5:15).
[1:15] 143 tn Some translations regard the expressions “springs of water” (גֻּלֹּת מָיִם, gullot mayim) and “springs” (גֻּלֹּת) as place names here (cf. NRSV).
[1:16] 145 tc Part of the Greek
[1:16] 146 tn Heb “[to] the Desert of Judah in the Negev, Arad.”
[1:16] 147 tn The phrase “of Judah” is supplied here in the translation. Some ancient textual witnesses read, “They went and lived with the Amalekites.” This reading, however, is probably influenced by 1 Sam 15:6 (see also Num 24:20-21).
[1:17] 148 tn Heb “Judah went with Simeon, his brother.”
[1:17] 149 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the city of Zephath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:17] 150 sn The name Hormah (חָרְמָה, khormah) sounds like the Hebrew verb translated “wipe out” (חָרַם, kharam).
[1:18] 151 tn Heb “The men of Judah captured Gaza and its surrounding territory, Ashkelon and its surrounding territory, and Ekron and its surrounding territory.”
[1:19] 154 tn Or “seized possession of”; or “occupied.”
[1:19] 155 tc Several textual witnesses support the inclusion of this verb.
[1:19] 156 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.
[1:20] 157 tn Heb “they gave to Caleb.”
[1:21] 160 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:21] 161 sn The statement to this very day reflects the perspective of the author, who must have written prior to David’s conquest of the Jebusites (see 2 Sam 5:6-7).
[1:22] 163 tn Heb “house.” This is a metonymy for the warriors from the tribe.
[1:22] 165 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[1:27] 172 map For location see Map1 D4; Map2 C1; Map4 C2; Map5 F2; Map7 B1.
[1:27] 173 tn Heb “The men of Manasseh did not conquer Beth Shan and its surrounding towns, Taanach and its surrounding towns, the people living in Dor and its surrounding towns, the people living in Ibleam and its surrounding towns, or the people living in Megiddo and its surrounding towns.”
[1:27] 174 tn Or “were determined.”
[1:27] 175 tn Heb “in this land.”
[1:30] 175 tn Heb “the people living in Kitron and the people living in Nahalol.”
[1:31] 178 map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[1:31] 179 tn Heb “The men of Asher did not conquer the people living in Acco, the people living in Sidon, Ahlab, Acco, Helbah, Aphek, or Rehob.”
[1:33] 181 tn Heb “the people living in Beth Shemesh or the people living in Beth Anath.”
[1:33] 182 tn The term “Canaanites” is supplied here both for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
[1:34] 184 tn Heb “come down into.”
[1:35] 187 tn Or “were determined.”
[1:35] 188 tn Or “Mount Heres”; the term הַר (har) means “mount” or “mountain” in Hebrew.
[1:35] 189 tn Heb “Whenever the hand of the tribe of Joseph was heavy.”
[1:36] 190 tn Or “the Ascent of Scorpions” (עַקְרַבִּים [’aqrabbim] means “scorpions” in Hebrew).
[1:36] 191 tn Or “Amorite territory started at the Pass of the Scorpions at Sela and then went on up.”
[1:1] 193 tn The Hebrew verb translated “asked” (שָׁאַל, sha’al) refers here to consulting the
[1:1] 194 tn Heb “Who should first go up for us against the Canaanites to attack them?”
[1:2] 196 tn Heb “Judah should go up.”
[1:2] 197 tn The Hebrew exclamation הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally, “Behold”), translated “Be sure of this,” draws attention to the following statement. The verb form in the following statement (a Hebrew perfect, indicating completed action from the standpoint of the speaker) emphasizes the certainty of the event. Though it had not yet taken place, the
[1:3] 199 tn Heb “Judah said to Simeon, his brother.”
[1:3] 200 tn Heb “Come up with me into our allotted land and let us attack the Canaanites.”
[1:3] 201 tn Heb “I.” The Hebrew pronoun is singular, agreeing with the collective singular “Judah” earlier in the verse. English style requires a plural pronoun here, however.
[1:4] 202 tn Heb “Judah went up.”
[1:7] 208 tn Elsewhere this verb usually carries the sense of “to gather; to pick up; to glean,” but “lick up” seems best here in light of the peculiar circumstances described by Adoni-Bezek.
[1:7] 209 tn The words “food scraps” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied.
[1:7] 210 tn Heb “Just as I did, so God has repaid me.” Note that the phrase “to them” has been supplied in the translation to clarify what is meant.
[1:7] 211 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:9] 211 tn Or “foothills”; Heb “the Shephelah.”
[1:11] 214 tn Heb “they went from there against the inhabitants of Debir.” The LXX reads the verb as “they went up,” which suggests that the Hebrew text translated by the LXX read וַיַּעַל (vayya’al) rather than the MT’s וַיֵּלֶךְ (vayyelekh). It is possible that this is the text to be preferred in v. 11. Cf. Josh 15:15.
[1:13] 217 tn “Caleb’s younger brother” may refer to Othniel or to Kenaz (in which case Othniel was Caleb’s nephew; so CEV).
[1:13] 218 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Caleb) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:14] 220 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Acsah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:14] 221 tn Heb “him.” The pronoun could refer to Othniel, in which case one would translate, “she incited him [Othniel] to ask her father for a field.” This is problematic, however, for Acsah, not Othniel, makes the request in v. 15. The LXX has “he [Othniel] urged her to ask her father for a field.” This appears to be an attempt to reconcile the apparent inconsistency and probably does not reflect the original text. If Caleb is understood as the referent of the pronoun, the problem disappears. For a fuller discussion of the issue, see P. G. Mosca, “Who Seduced Whom? A Note on Joshua 15:18 // Judges 1:14,” CBQ 46 (1984): 18-22. The translation takes Caleb to be the referent, specified as “her father.”
[1:15] 223 tn Elsewhere the Hebrew word בְרָכָה (vÿrakhah) is often translated “blessing,” but here it refers to a gift (as in Gen 33:11; 1 Sam 25:27; 30:26; and 2 Kgs 5:15).
[1:15] 224 tn Some translations regard the expressions “springs of water” (גֻּלֹּת מָיִם, gullot mayim) and “springs” (גֻּלֹּת) as place names here (cf. NRSV).
[1:16] 226 tc Part of the Greek
[1:16] 227 tn Heb “[to] the Desert of Judah in the Negev, Arad.”
[1:16] 228 tn The phrase “of Judah” is supplied here in the translation. Some ancient textual witnesses read, “They went and lived with the Amalekites.” This reading, however, is probably influenced by 1 Sam 15:6 (see also Num 24:20-21).
[1:17] 229 tn Heb “Judah went with Simeon, his brother.”
[1:17] 230 tn Heb “it”; the referent (the city of Zephath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:17] 231 sn The name Hormah (חָרְמָה, khormah) sounds like the Hebrew verb translated “wipe out” (חָרַם, kharam).
[1:18] 232 tn Heb “The men of Judah captured Gaza and its surrounding territory, Ashkelon and its surrounding territory, and Ekron and its surrounding territory.”
[1:19] 235 tn Or “seized possession of”; or “occupied.”
[1:19] 236 tc Several textual witnesses support the inclusion of this verb.
[1:19] 237 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.
[1:20] 238 tn Heb “they gave to Caleb.”
[1:21] 241 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:21] 242 sn The statement to this very day reflects the perspective of the author, who must have written prior to David’s conquest of the Jebusites (see 2 Sam 5:6-7).
[1:22] 244 tn Heb “house.” This is a metonymy for the warriors from the tribe.
[1:22] 246 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
[1:27] 253 map For location see Map1 D4; Map2 C1; Map4 C2; Map5 F2; Map7 B1.
[1:27] 254 tn Heb “The men of Manasseh did not conquer Beth Shan and its surrounding towns, Taanach and its surrounding towns, the people living in Dor and its surrounding towns, the people living in Ibleam and its surrounding towns, or the people living in Megiddo and its surrounding towns.”
[1:27] 255 tn Or “were determined.”
[1:27] 256 tn Heb “in this land.”
[1:30] 256 tn Heb “the people living in Kitron and the people living in Nahalol.”
[1:31] 259 map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[1:31] 260 tn Heb “The men of Asher did not conquer the people living in Acco, the people living in Sidon, Ahlab, Acco, Helbah, Aphek, or Rehob.”
[1:33] 262 tn Heb “the people living in Beth Shemesh or the people living in Beth Anath.”
[1:33] 263 tn The term “Canaanites” is supplied here both for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
[1:34] 265 tn Heb “come down into.”
[1:35] 268 tn Or “were determined.”
[1:35] 269 tn Or “Mount Heres”; the term הַר (har) means “mount” or “mountain” in Hebrew.
[1:35] 270 tn Heb “Whenever the hand of the tribe of Joseph was heavy.”
[1:36] 271 tn Or “the Ascent of Scorpions” (עַקְרַבִּים [’aqrabbim] means “scorpions” in Hebrew).
[1:36] 272 tn Or “Amorite territory started at the Pass of the Scorpions at Sela and then went on up.”
