Discovery BoxJudges 2:17-18 
Context2:17 But they did not obey 1 their leaders. Instead they prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped 2 them. They quickly turned aside from the path 3 their ancestors 4 had walked. Their ancestors had obeyed the Lord’s commands, but they did not. 5 2:18 When the Lord raised up leaders for them, the Lord was with each leader and delivered the people 6 from their enemies while the leader remained alive. The Lord felt sorry for them 7 when they cried out in agony because of what their harsh oppressors did to them. 8
Judges 9:18
Context9:18 But you have attacked 9 my father’s family 10 today. You murdered his seventy legitimate 11 sons on one stone and made Abimelech, the son of his female slave, king over the leaders of Shechem, just because he is your close relative. 12
Judges 9:24
Context9:24 He did this so the violent deaths of Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons might be avenged and Abimelech, their half-brother 13 who murdered them, might have to pay for their spilled blood, along with the leaders of Shechem who helped him murder them. 14
Judges 9:51
Context9:51 There was a fortified 15 tower 16 in the center of the city, so all the men and women, as well as the city’s leaders, ran into it and locked the entrance. Then they went up to the roof of the tower.
1 tn Or “did not listen to.”
2 tn Or “bowed before.”
3 tn Or “way [of life].”
4 tn Or “fathers.”
5 tn Heb “…walked, obeying the
6 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
7 tn The phrase “for them” is supplied in the translation for clarity.
8 tn Heb “the ones oppressing them and afflicting them.” The synonyms “oppressing” and “afflicting” are joined together in the translation as “harsh oppressors” to emphasize the cruel character of their enemies.
9 tn Heb “have risen up against.”
10 tn Heb “house.”
11 tn The word “legitimate” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification.
12 tn Heb “your brother.”
13 tn Heb “their brother.”
14 tn Heb “so that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerub-Baal might come, and their blood might be placed on Abimelech, their brother, who murdered them, and upon the leaders of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to murder his brothers.”
15 tn Or “strong.”
16 tn Or “fortress.” The same Hebrew term occurs once more in this verse and twice in v. 52.
