7:24 Now Gideon sent messengers throughout the Ephraimite hill country who announced, “Go down and head off the Midianites. 1 Take control of the fords of the streams 2 all the way to Beth Barah and the Jordan River.” 3 When all the Ephraimites had assembled, 4 they took control of the fords 5 all the way to Beth Barah and the Jordan River.
1 tn Heb “to meet Midian.”
2 tn Heb “capture before them the waters.”
3 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification (also later in this verse).
4 tn Heb “And all the men of Ephraim were summoned.”
5 tn Heb “they captured the waters.”
6 tn Or “took”; or “seized.”
7 tn Heb “he” (a collective singular).
8 tn Heb “from the Arnon to the Jabbok and to the Jordan.” The word “River” has been supplied in the translation with “Arnon” and “Jabbok,” because these are less familiar to modern readers than the Jordan.
9 tc The translation assumes a singular suffix (“[return] it”); the Hebrew text has a plural suffix (“[return] them”), which, if retained, might refer to the cities of the land.
10 tn Heb “me.” (Collective Israel is the speaker.)
11 tn Heb “did not listen.”
12 tn Heb “Also to the king of Moab he sent, but he was unwilling.”