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 3:28

3:28 He said to them, “Follow me, for the Lord is about to defeat your enemies, the Moabites!” ⁶  They followed him, captured the fords of the Jordan River ⁷  opposite Moab, ⁸  and did not let anyone cross.

Judges 5:14

5:14 They came from Ephraim, who uprooted Amalek, ⁹ 

they follow ¹⁰  after you, Benjamin, with your soldiers.

From Makir leaders came down,

from Zebulun came ¹¹  the ones who march carrying ¹²  an officer’s staff.

Judges 6:35

6:35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh and summoned them to follow him as well. ¹³  He also sent messengers throughout Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they came up to meet him.

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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 “for the Lord has given your enemies, Moab, into your hand.” The verb form (a Hebrew perfect, indicating completed action from the standpoint of the speaker) emphasizes the certainty of the event. Though it had not yet taken place, the Lord speaks of it as a “done deal.”

⁷ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for clarity.

⁸ tn Or “against Moab,” that is, so as to prevent the Moabites from crossing.

⁹ 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).

¹⁰ tn The words “They follow” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

¹¹ tn The word “came” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

¹² tn Or possibly “who carry.”

¹³ tn Heb “and he also was summoned after him.”