Judges 2:22

2:22 Joshua left those nations ¹  to test ²  Israel. I wanted to see ³  whether or not the people ⁴  would carefully walk in the path ⁵  marked out by ⁶  the Lord, as their ancestors ⁷  were careful to do.”

Judges 6:5

6:5 When they invaded ⁸  with their cattle and tents, they were as thick ⁹  as locusts. Neither they nor their camels could be counted. ¹⁰  They came to devour ¹¹  the land.

Judges 8:19

8:19 He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. I swear, ¹²  as surely as the Lord is alive, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.”

Judges 8:24

8:24 Gideon continued, ¹³  “I would like to make one request. Each of you give me an earring from the plunder you have taken.” ¹⁴  (The Midianites ¹⁵  had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

Judges 20:32

20:32 Then the Benjaminites said, “They are defeated just as before.” But the Israelites said, “Let’s retreat ¹⁶  and lure them ¹⁷  away from the city into the main roads.”

[2:22]  ¹ tn The words “Joshua left those nations” are interpretive. The Hebrew text of v. 22 simply begins with “to test.” Some subordinate this phrase to “I will no longer remove” (v. 21). In this case the Lord announces that he has now decided to leave these nations as a test for Israel. Another possibility is to subordinate “to test” to “He said” (v. 20; see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 111). In this case the statement recorded in vv. 20b-21 is the test in that it forces Israel to respond either positively (through repentance) or negatively to the Lord’s declaration. A third possibility (the one reflected in the present translation) is to subordinate “to test” to “left unconquered” (v. 21). In this case the Lord recalls that Joshua left these nations as a test. Israel has failed the test (v. 20), so the Lord announces that the punishment threatened earlier (Josh 23:12-13; see also Judg 2:3) will now be implemented. As B. G. Webb (Judges [JSOTSup], 115) observes, “The nations which were originally left as a test are now left as a punishment.” This view best harmonizes v. 23, which explains that the Lord did not give all the nations to Joshua, with v. 22. (For a grammatical parallel, where the infinitive construct of נָסָה [nasah] is subordinated to the perfect of עָזַב [’azav], see 2 Chr 32:31.)

[2:22]  ² tn The Hebrew text includes the phrase “by them,” but this is somewhat redundant in English and has been omitted from the translation for stylistic reasons.

[2:22]  ³ tn The words “I [i.e., the Lord] wanted to see” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[2:22]  ⁴ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:22]  ⁵ tn Or “way [of life].”

[2:22]  ⁶ tn “The words “marked out by” are interpretive.

[2:22]  ⁷ tn Or “fathers.”

[6:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “came up.”

[6:5]  ⁹ tn Heb “numerous.”

[6:5]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “To them and to their camels there was no number.”

[6:5]  ¹¹ tn Heb “destroy.” The translation “devour” carries through the imagery of a locust plague earlier in this verse.

[8:19]  ¹⁵ tn The words “I swear” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[8:24]  ²² tn Heb “said to them.”

[8:24]  ²³ tn Heb “Give to me, each one, an earring from his plunder.”

[8:24]  ²⁴ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Midianites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:32]  ²⁹ tn Or “run away.”

[20:32]  ³⁰ tn Heb “him” (collective singular).