Judges 3:7

Othniel: A Model Leader

3:7 The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. ¹  They forgot the Lord their God and worshiped the Baals and the Asherahs. ² 

Judges 9:27

9:27 They went out to the field, harvested their grapes, ³  squeezed out the juice, ⁴  and celebrated. They came to the temple ⁵  of their god and ate, drank, and cursed Abimelech.

[3:7]  ¹ tn Heb “in the eyes of the Lord.”

[3:7]  ² sn The Asherahs were local manifestations of the Canaanite goddess Asherah.

[9:27]  ³ tn Heb “vineyards.”

[9:27]  ⁴ tn Heb “stomped” or “trampled.” This refers to the way in which the juice was squeezed out in the wine vats by stepping on the grapes with one’s bare feet. For a discussion of grape harvesting in ancient Israel, see O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 110-14.

[9:27]  ⁵ tn Heb “house.”