Judges 3:16

3:16 Ehud made himself a sword – it had two edges and was eighteen inches long. ¹  He strapped it under his coat on his right thigh.

Judges 5:30

5:30 ‘No doubt they are gathering and dividing the plunder ²  –

a girl or two for each man to rape! ³ 

Sisera is grabbing up colorful cloth, ⁴ 

he is grabbing up colorful embroidered cloth, ⁵ 

two pieces of colorful embroidered cloth,

for the neck of the plunderer!’ ⁶ 

Judges 17:10

17:10 Micah said to him, “Stay with me. Become my adviser ⁷  and priest. I will give you ten pieces of silver per year, plus clothes and food.” ⁸ 

[3:16]  ¹ tn The Hebrew term גֹּמֶד (gomed) denotes a unit of linear measure, perhaps a cubit (the distance between the elbow and the tip of the middle finger – approximately 18 inches [45 cm]). Some suggest it is equivalent to the short cubit (the distance between the elbow and the knuckles of the clenched fist – approximately 13 inches [33 cm]) or to the span (the distance between the end of the thumb and the end of the little finger in a spread hand – approximately 9 inches [23 cm]). See BDB 167 s.v.; HALOT 196 s.v.; B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 142.

[5:30]  ² tn Heb “Are they not finding, dividing the plunder?”

[5:30]  ³ tn Heb “a womb or two for each man.” The words “to rape” are interpretive. The Hebrew noun translated “girl” means literally “womb” (BDB 933 s.v. I. רַחַם), but in this context may refer by extension to the female genitalia. In this case the obscene language of Sisera’s mother alludes to the sexual brutality which typified the aftermath of battle.

[5:30]  ⁴ tn Heb “the plunder of dyed cloth is for Sisera.”

[5:30]  ⁵ tn Heb “the plunder of embroidered cloth.”

[5:30]  ⁶ tn The translation assumes an emendation of the noun (“plunder”) to a participle, “plunderer.”

[17:10]  ³ tn Heb “father.” “Father” is here a title of honor that suggests the priest will give advice and protect the interests of the family, primarily by divining God’s will in matters, perhaps through the use of the ephod. (See R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 257; also Gen 45:8, where Joseph, who was a diviner and interpreter of dreams, is called Pharaoh’s “father,” and 2 Kgs 6:21; 13:14, where a prophet is referred to as a “father.” Note also 2 Kgs 8:9, where a king identifies himself as a prophet’s “son.” One of a prophet’s main functions was to communicate divine oracles. Cf. 2 Kgs 8:9ff.; 13:14-19).

[17:10]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew text expands with the phrase: “and the Levite went.” This only makes sense if taken with “to live” in the next verse. Apparently “the Levite went” and “the Levite agreed” are alternative readings which have been juxtaposed in the text.