Judges 5:9

5:9 My heart went out ¹  to Israel’s leaders,

to the people who answered the call to war.

Praise the Lord!

Judges 8:23

8:23 Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.”

Judges 17:10

17:10 Micah said to him, “Stay with me. Become my adviser ²  and priest. I will give you ten pieces of silver per year, plus clothes and food.” ³ 

Judges 20:4

20:4 The Levite, ⁴  the husband of the murdered woman, spoke up, “I and my concubine stopped in ⁵  Gibeah in the territory of Benjamin ⁶  to spend the night.

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¹ tn The words “went out” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

² tn Heb “father.” “Father” is here a title of honor that suggests the priest will give advice and protect the interests of the family, primarily by divining God’s will in matters, perhaps through the use of the ephod. (See R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 257; also Gen 45:8, where Joseph, who was a diviner and interpreter of dreams, is called Pharaoh’s “father,” and 2 Kgs 6:21; 13:14, where a prophet is referred to as a “father.” Note also 2 Kgs 8:9, where a king identifies himself as a prophet’s “son.” One of a prophet’s main functions was to communicate divine oracles. Cf. 2 Kgs 8:9ff.; 13:14-19).

³ tn The Hebrew text expands with the phrase: “and the Levite went.” This only makes sense if taken with “to live” in the next verse. Apparently “the Levite went” and “the Levite agreed” are alternative readings which have been juxtaposed in the text.

⁴ tn Heb “The man, the Levite.”

⁵ tn Heb “came to.”

⁶ tn Heb “which belongs to Benjamin.”