Judges 6:17

6:17 Gideon ¹  said to him, “If you really are pleased with me, ²  then give me ³  a sign as proof that it is really you speaking with me.

Judges 6:36

6:36 Gideon said to God, “If you really intend to use me to deliver Israel, ⁴  as you promised, then give me a sign as proof. ⁵ 

Judges 8:6

8:6 The officials of Succoth said, “You have not yet overpowered Zebah and Zalmunna. So why should we give ⁶  bread to your army?” ⁷ 

Judges 8:25

8:25 They said, “We are happy to give you earrings.” ⁸  So they ⁹  spread out a garment, and each one threw an earring from his plunder onto it.

Judges 14:13

14:13 But if you cannot solve it, ¹⁰  you will give me thirty linen robes and thirty sets of clothes.” They said to him, “Let us hear your riddle.” ¹¹ 

Judges 17:10

17:10 Micah said to him, “Stay with me. Become my adviser ¹²  and priest. I will give you ten pieces of silver per year, plus clothes and food.” ¹³ 

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¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Gideon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Heb “If I have found favor in your eyes.”

³ tn Heb “perform for me.”

⁴ tn More literally, “you are about to deliver Israel by my hand.”

⁵ tn The words “then give me a sign as proof” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

⁶ tn Or perhaps, “sell.”

⁷ 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.

⁸ tn Heb “We will indeed give.”

⁹ tc In the LXX the subject of this verb is singular, referring to Gideon rather than to the Israelites.

¹⁰ tn Heb “you are unable to tell me.”

¹¹ tn Heb “Give your riddle so we can hear it.”

¹² 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).

¹³ 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.