Judges 2:19

2:19 When a leader died, the next generation ¹  would again ²  act more wickedly than the previous one. ³  They would follow after other gods, worshiping them ⁴  and bowing down to them. They did not give up ⁵  their practices or their stubborn ways.

Judges 15:2

15:2 Her father said, “I really thought ⁶  you absolutely despised ⁷  her, so I gave her to your best man. Her younger sister is more attractive than she is. Take her instead!” ⁸ 

Judges 16:30

16:30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” He pushed hard ⁹  and the temple collapsed on the rulers and all the people in it. He killed many more people in his death than he had killed during his life. ¹⁰ 

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¹ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the next generation) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn The verb שׁוּב (shuv, “to return; to turn”) is sometimes translated “turn back” here, but it is probably used in an adverbial sense, indicating that the main action (“act wickedly”) is being repeated.

³ tn Heb “their fathers.”

sn The statement the next generation would again act more wickedly than the previous one must refer to the successive sinful generations after Joshua, not Joshua’s godly generation (cf. vv. 7, 17).

⁴ tn Or “serving [them]”; or “following [them].”

⁵ tn Or “drop.”

⁶ tn Heb “saying, I said.” The first person form of אָמַר (’amar, “to say”) sometimes indicates self-reflection. The girl’s father uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis.

⁷ tn Heb “hating, you hated.” Once again the girl’s father uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis.

⁸ tn Heb “Is her younger sister not better than her? Let her [i.e., the younger sister] be yours instead of her [i.e., Samson’s ‘bride’]).”

⁹ tn Heb “he stretched out with strength.”

¹⁰ tn Heb “And the ones whom he killed in his death were many more than he killed in his life.”