Judges 5:14

5:14 They came from Ephraim, who uprooted Amalek, ¹ 

they follow ²  after you, Benjamin, with your soldiers.

From Makir leaders came down,

from Zebulun came ³  the ones who march carrying ⁴  an officer’s staff.

Judges 5:23

5:23 ‘Call judgment down on ⁵  Meroz,’ says the Lord’s angelic ⁶  messenger;

‘Be sure ⁷  to call judgment down on ⁸  those who live there,

because they did not come to help in the Lord’s battle, ⁹ 

to help in the Lord’s battle against the warriors.’ ¹⁰ 

[5:14]  ¹ tn Heb “From Ephraim their root in Amalek” (the words “they came” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons). Because of the difficulty of the MT, many prefer to follow one of the ancient versions or emend the text. For various proposals see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 252-53. The present translation repoints שָׁרְשָׁם (shorsham, traditionally translated “their root”) as a Piel verb form with enclitic mem (ם). The preposition ב (bet) on עֲמָלֵק (’amaleq) introduces the object (see Job 31:12 for an example of the construction). Ephraim’s territory encompassed the hill country of the Amalekites (Judg 12:15).

[5:14]  ² tn The words “They follow” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[5:14]  ³ tn The word “came” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

[5:14]  ⁴ tn Or possibly “who carry.”

[5:23]  ⁵ tn Heb “Curse Meroz.”

[5:23]  ⁶ tn The adjective “angelic” is interpretive.

[5:23]  ⁷ tn Heb “Curse, cursing.” The Hebrew construction is emphatic.

[5:23]  ⁸ tn Heb “[to] curse.”

[5:23]  ⁹ tn Heb “to the help of the Lord” (the same Hebrew phrase occurs in the following line). Another option is to read “to aid the Lord’s cause.”

[5:23]  ¹⁰ tn Or “along with the other warriors.”