Judges 10:18

10:18 The leaders ¹  of Gilead said to one another, “Who is willing to lead the charge ²  against the Ammonites? He will become the leader of all who live in Gilead!”

Judges 11:8

11:8 The leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That may be true, ³  but now we pledge to you our loyalty. ⁴  Come with us and fight with the Ammonites. Then you will become the leader ⁵  of all who live in Gilead.” ⁶ 

Judges 12:5

12:5 The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan River ⁷  opposite Ephraim. ⁸  Whenever an Ephraimite fugitive ⁹  said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead asked ¹⁰  him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,”

[10:18]  ¹ tn Heb “the people, the officers.”

[10:18]  ² tn Heb “Who is the man who will begin fighting.”

[11:8]  ³ 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]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Heb “leader of us and all who live in Gilead.”

[12:5]  ⁵ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[12:5]  ⁶ tn Or “against Ephraim,” that is, so as to prevent Ephraim from crossing.

[12:5]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew text has a plural form here.

[12:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “say to.”