Judges 5:11

5:11 Hear ¹  the sound of those who divide the sheep ²  among the watering places;

there they tell of ³  the Lord’s victorious deeds,

the victorious deeds of his warriors ⁴  in Israel.

Then the Lord’s people went down to the city gates –

Judges 5:23

5:23 ‘Call judgment down on ⁵  Meroz,’ says the Lord’s angelic ⁶  messenger;

‘Be sure ⁷  to call judgment down on ⁸  those who live there,

because they did not come to help in the Lord’s battle, ⁹ 

to help in the Lord’s battle against the warriors.’ ¹⁰ 

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¹ tn The word “Hear” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

² tn The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain. Some translate “those who distribute the water” (HALOT 344 s.v. חצץ pi). For other options see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 246-47.

³ tn Or perhaps “repeat.”

⁴ tn See the note on the term “warriors” in v. 7.

⁵ tn Heb “Curse Meroz.”

⁶ tn The adjective “angelic” is interpretive.

⁷ tn Heb “Curse, cursing.” The Hebrew construction is emphatic.

⁸ tn Heb “[to] curse.”

⁹ tn Heb “to the help of the Lord” (the same Hebrew phrase occurs in the following line). Another option is to read “to aid the Lord’s cause.”

¹⁰ tn Or “along with the other warriors.”