Judges 2:23

2:23 This is why ¹  the Lord permitted these nations to remain and did not conquer them immediately; ²  he did not hand them over to Joshua.

Judges 8:6

8:6 The officials of Succoth said, “You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give ³  bread to your army?” ⁴ 

Judges 21:3

21:3 They said, “Why, O Lord God of Israel, has this happened in Israel?” An entire ⁵  tribe has disappeared from Israel today!”

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¹ tn The words “this is why” are interpretive.

² tn Or “quickly.”

³ tn Or perhaps, “sell.”

⁴ tn Heb “Are the palms of Zebah and Zalmunna now in your hand, that we should give to your army bread?” Perhaps the reference to the kings’ “palms” should be taken literally. The officials of Succoth may be alluding to the practice of mutilating prisoners or enemy corpses (see R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 155).

sn The officials of Succoth are hesitant to give (or sell) food to Gideon’s forces because they are not sure of the outcome of the battle. Perhaps they had made an alliance with the Midianites which demanded their loyalty.

⁵ tn Heb “one.”