Judges 6:3

6:3 Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, ¹  the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east would attack them. ² 

Judges 8:33

Israel Returns to Baal-Worship

8:33 After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They made Baal-Berith ³  their god.

Judges 9:26

9:26 Gaal son of Ebed ⁴  came through Shechem with his brothers. The leaders of Shechem transferred their loyalty to him. ⁵ 

Judges 19:21

19:21 So he brought him to his house and fed the donkeys. They washed their feet and had a meal. ⁶ 

Judges 20:30

20:30 The Israelites attacked the Benjaminites the next day; ⁷  they took their positions against Gibeah just as they had done before.

Judges 20:41

20:41 When the Israelites turned around, the Benjaminites panicked ⁸  because they could see that disaster was on their doorstep. ⁹ 

---

¹ tn Heb “Whenever Israel sowed seed.”

² tn Heb “Midian, Amalek, and the sons of the east would go up, they would go up against him.” The translation assumes that וְעָלוּ (vÿ’alu) is dittographic (note the following עָלָיו, ’alayv).

³ sn Baal-Berith was a local manifestation of the Canaanite storm god. The name means, ironically, “Baal of the covenant.” Israel’s covenant allegiance had indeed shifted.

⁴ sn The name Gaal derives from, or at least sounds like, a Hebrew verb meaning “to abhor, loathe.” His father’s name, Ebed, means “servant.” Perhaps then this could be translated, “loathsome one, son of a servant.” This individual’s very name (which may be the narrator’s nickname for him, not his actual name) seems to hint at his immoral character and lowly social status.

⁵ tn Heb “trusted in him.” Here the verb probably describes more than a mental attitude. It is likely that the Shechemites made an alliance with Gaal and were now trusting him for protection in return for their loyalty (and probably tribute).

⁶ tn Heb “ate and drank.”

⁷ tn Heb “the third day.”

⁸ tn Or “were terrified.”

⁹ tn Heb “disaster touched against them.”