Judges 2:3
2:3 At that time I also warned you, 1 ‘If you disobey, 2 I will not drive out the Canaanites 3 before you. They will ensnare you 4 and their gods will lure you away.’” 5
Judges 6:9
6:9 I rescued you from Egypt’s power 6 and from the power of all who oppressed you. I drove them out before you and gave their land to you.
Judges 11:24
11:24 You have the right to take what Chemosh your god gives you, but we will take the land of all whom the Lord our God has driven out before us. 7
Judges 11:36
11:36 She said to him, “My father, since 8 you made an oath to the Lord, do to me as you promised. 9 After all, the Lord vindicated you before 10 your enemies, the Ammonites.”
Judges 16:20
16:20 She said, “The Philistines are here, 11 Samson!” He woke up 12 and thought, 13 “I will do as I did before 14 and shake myself free.” But he did not realize that the Lord had left him.
Judges 20:23
20:23 The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord until evening. They asked the Lord, “Should we 15 again march out to fight 16 the Benjaminites, our brothers?” 17 The Lord said, “Attack them!” 18
Judges 20:26
20:26 So all the Israelites, the whole army, 19 went up to 20 Bethel. 21 They wept and sat there before the Lord; they did not eat anything 22 that day until evening. They offered up burnt sacrifices and tokens of peace 23 to the Lord.
Judges 20:32
20:32 Then the Benjaminites said, “They are defeated just as before.” But the Israelites said, “Let’s retreat 24 and lure them 25 away from the city into the main roads.”
Judges 21:8
21:8 So they asked, “Who from all the Israelite tribes did not assemble before the Lord at Mizpah?” Now it just so happened no one from Jabesh Gilead had come to the gathering. 26
1 tn Heb “And I also said.” The use of the perfect tense here suggests that the messenger is recalling an earlier statement (see Josh 23:12-13). However, some translate, “And I also say,” understanding the following words as an announcement of judgment upon those gathered at Bokim.
2 tn The words “If you disobey” are supplied in the translation for clarity. See Josh 23:12-13.
3 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the Canaanites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word צִדִּים (tsiddim) is uncertain in this context. It may be related to an Akkadian cognate meaning “snare.” If so, a more literal translation would be “they will become snares to you.” Normally the term in question means “sides,” but this makes no sense here. On the basis of Num 33:55 some suggest the word for “thorns” has been accidentally omitted. If this word is added, the text would read, “they will become [thorns] in your sides” (cf. NASB, NIV, NLT).
5 tn Heb “their gods will become a snare to you.”
6 tn Heb “hand” (also a second time later in this verse).
7 tn Heb “Is it not so that what Chemosh your god causes you to possess, you possess, and all whom the Lord our God dispossesses before us we will possess?” Jephthah speaks of Chemosh as if he is on a par with the Lord God of Israel. This does not necessarily mean that Jephthah is polytheistic or that he recognizes the Lord as only a local deity. He may simply be assuming the Ammonite king’s perspective for the sake of argument. Other texts, as well as the extrabiblical Mesha inscription, associate Chemosh with Moab, while Milcom is identified as the god of the Ammonites. Why then does Jephthah refer to Chemosh as the Ammonite god? Ammon had likely conquered Moab and the Ammonite king probably regarded himself as heir of all territory formerly held by Moab. Originally Moab had owned the disputed territory (cf. Num 21:26-29), meaning that Chemosh was regarded as the god of the region (see R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 203-4). Jephthah argues that Chemosh had long ago relinquished claim to the area (by allowing Sihon to conquer it), while the Lord had long ago established jurisdiction over it (by taking it from Sihon and giving it to Israel). Both sides should abide by the decisions of the gods which had stood firm for three hundred years.
8 tn The conjunction “since” is supplied in the translation for clarification.
9 tn Heb “you opened your mouth to the Lord, do to me according to [what] went out from your mouth.”
10 tn Or “has given you vengeance against.”
11 tn Heb “are upon you.”
12 tn The Hebrew adds, “from his sleep.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
13 tn Heb “and said.”
14 tn Heb “I will go out as before.”
15 tn Heb “I” (collective singular).
16 tn Heb “approach for battle.”
17 tn Heb “my brother” (collective singular).
18 tn Heb “Go up against him” (collective singular).
19 tn Heb “and all the people.”
20 tn Heb “went up and came [to].”
21 map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.
22 tn Traditionally, “fasted.”
23 tn Or “peace offerings.”
24 tn Or “run away.”
25 tn Heb “him” (collective singular).
26 tn Heb “Look, no one had come to the camp from Jabesh Gilead to the assembly.”