Judges 5:14

5:14 They came from Ephraim, who uprooted Amalek, ¹ 

they follow ²  after you, Benjamin, with your soldiers.

From Makir leaders came down,

from Zebulun came ³  the ones who march carrying ⁴  an officer’s staff.

Judges 12:5

12:5 The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan River ⁵  opposite Ephraim. ⁶  Whenever an Ephraimite fugitive ⁷  said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead asked ⁸  him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,”

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¹ 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).

² tn The words “They follow” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

³ tn The word “came” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.

⁴ tn Or possibly “who carry.”

⁵ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification.

⁶ tn Or “against Ephraim,” that is, so as to prevent Ephraim from crossing.

⁷ tn The Hebrew text has a plural form here.

⁸ tn Heb “say to.”