Judges 6:32

6:32 That very day Gideon’s father named him Jerub-Baal,¹ because he had said, “Let Baal fight with him, for it was his altar that was pulled down.”

Judges 8:1

8:1 The Ephraimites said to him, “Why have you done such a thing to us? You did not summon us² when you went to fight the Midianites!” They argued vehemently with him.

Judges 9:38

9:38 Zebul said to him, “Where now are your bragging words,³ ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Are these not the men⁴ you insulted?⁵ Go out now and fight them!”

Judges 11:8-9

11:8 The leaders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That may be true,⁶ but now we pledge to you our loyalty.⁷ Come with us and fight with the Ammonites. Then you will become the leader⁸ of all who live in Gilead.”⁹ 11:9 Jephthah said to the leaders of Gilead, “All right!¹⁰ If you take me back to fight with the Ammonites and the Lord gives them to me,¹¹ I will be your leader.”¹²

Judges 12:1

Civil Strife Mars the Victory

12:1 The Ephraimites assembled¹³ and crossed over to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why did you go and fight¹⁴ with the Ammonites without asking¹⁵ us to go with you? We will burn your house down right over you!”¹⁶

Judges 12:3

12:3 When I saw that you were not going to help,¹⁷ I risked my life¹⁸ and advanced against¹⁹ the Ammonites, and the Lord handed them over to me. Why have you come up²⁰ to fight with me today?”

Judges 20:23

20:23 The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord until evening. They asked the Lord, “Should we²¹ again march out to fight²² the Benjaminites, our brothers?”²³ The Lord said, “Attack them!”²⁴

¹tn Heb “He called him on that day Jerub-Baal.” The name means, at least by popular etymology, “Let Baal fight!”

²tn Heb “by not summoning us.”

³tn Heb “is your mouth that says.”

⁴tn Heb “the people.”

⁵tn Or “despised.”

⁶tn Heb “therefore”; “even so.” For MT לָכֵן (lakhen, “therefore”) the LXX has an opposite reading, “not so,” which seems to be based on the Hebrew words לֹא כֵן (lo’ khen).

⁷tn Heb “we have returned to you.” For another example of שׁוּב אֶל (shuv ’el) in the sense of “give allegiance to,” see 1 Kgs 12:27b.

⁸sn Then you will become the leader. The leaders of Gilead now use the word רֹאשׁ (ro’sh, “head, leader”), the same term that appeared in their original, general offer (see 10:18). In their initial offer to Jephthah they had simply invited him to be their קָצִין (qatsin, “commander”; v. 6). When he resists they must offer him a more attractive reward – rulership over the region. See R. G. Boling, Judges (AB), 198.

⁹tn Heb “leader of us and all who live in Gilead.”

¹⁰tn “All right” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

¹¹tn Heb “places them before me.”

¹²tn Some translate the final statement as a question, “will I really be your leader?” An affirmative sentence is preferable. Jephthah is repeating the terms of the agreement in an official manner. In v. 10 the leaders legally agree to these terms.

¹³tn Heb “the men of Ephraim were summoned [or “were mustered”].”

¹⁴tn Heb “cross over to fight.”

¹⁵tn Or “calling”; or “summoning.”

¹⁶tn Heb “Your house we will burn over you with fire.”

¹⁷tn Heb “you were no deliverer.” Codex Alexandrinus (A) of the LXX has “no one was helping.”

¹⁸tn Heb “I put my life in my hand.”

¹⁹tn Heb “crossed over to.”

²⁰tn The Hebrew adds “against me” here. This is redundant in English and has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

²¹tn Heb “I” (collective singular).

²²tn Heb “approach for battle.”

²³tn Heb “my brother” (collective singular).

²⁴tn Heb “Go up against him” (collective singular).