Judges 9:49

9:49 So each of his men also cut off a branch and followed Abimelech. They put the branches ¹  against the stronghold and set fire to it. ²  All the people ³  of the Tower of Shechem died – about a thousand men and women.

Judges 11:11

11:11 So Jephthah went with the leaders of Gilead. The people made him their leader and commander. Jephthah repeated the terms of the agreement ⁴  before the Lord in Mizpah.

Judges 18:9

18:9 They said, “Come on, let’s attack them, ⁵  for ⁶  we saw their land and it is very good. You seem lethargic, ⁷  but don’t hesitate ⁸  to invade and conquer ⁹  the land.

[9:49]  ¹ tn The words “the branches” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[9:49]  ² tn Heb “they kindled over them the stronghold with fire.”

[9:49]  ³ tn Or “men,” but the word seems to have a more general sense here, as the conclusion to the sentence suggests.

[11:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “spoke all his words.” This probably refers to the “words” recorded in v. 9. Jephthah repeats the terms of the agreement at the Lord’s sanctuary, perhaps to ratify the contract or to emphasize the Gileadites’ obligation to keep their part of the bargain. Another option is to translate, “Jephthah conducted business before the Lord in Mizpah.” In this case, the statement is a general reference to the way Jephthah ruled. He recognized the Lord’s authority and made his decisions before the Lord.

[18:9]  ⁷ tn Heb “Arise, and let us go up against them.”

[18:9]  ⁸ tc Codex Alexandrinus (A) of the LXX adds “we entered and walked around in the land as far as Laish and.”

[18:9]  ⁹ tn Heb “But you are inactive.”

[18:9]  ¹⁰ tn Or “be lazy.”

[18:9]  ¹¹ tn Heb “to go”; “to enter”; “to possess.”