Discovery BoxJudges 2:3 
Context2:3 At that time I also warned you, 1 ‘If you disobey, 2 I will not drive out the Canaanites 3 before you. They will ensnare you 4 and their gods will lure you away.’” 5
Judges 4:7
Context4:7 I will bring Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to you at the Kishon River, along with his chariots and huge army. 6 I will hand him over to you.”
Judges 6:9-10
Context6:9 I rescued you from Egypt’s power 7 and from the power of all who oppressed you. I drove them out before you and gave their land to you. 6:10 I said to you, “I am the Lord your God! Do not worship 8 the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are now living!” But you have disobeyed me.’” 9
Judges 7:7
Context7:7 The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men who lapped I will deliver the whole army 10 and I will hand Midian over to you. 11 The rest of the men should go home.” 12
Judges 8:19
Context8:19 He said, “They were my brothers, the sons of my mother. I swear, 13 as surely as the Lord is alive, if you had let them live, I would not kill you.”
Judges 11:31
Context11:31 then whoever is the first to come through 14 the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from fighting the Ammonites – he 15 will belong to the Lord and 16 I will offer him up as a burnt sacrifice.”
Judges 11:35
Context11:35 When he saw her, he ripped his clothes and said, “Oh no! My daughter! You have completely ruined me! 17 You have brought me disaster! 18 I made an oath to the Lord, and I cannot break it.” 19
Judges 12:2-3
Context12:2 Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were entangled in controversy with the Ammonites. 20 I asked for your help, but you did not deliver me from their power. 21 12:3 When I saw that you were not going to help, 22 I risked my life 23 and advanced against 24 the Ammonites, and the Lord handed them over to me. Why have you come up 25 to fight with me today?”
Judges 14:12
Context14:12 Samson said to them, “I will give you a riddle. If you really can solve it during the seven days the party lasts, 26 I will give you thirty linen robes and thirty sets 27 of clothes.
Judges 15:2
Context15:2 Her father said, “I really thought 28 you absolutely despised 29 her, so I gave her to your best man. Her younger sister is more attractive than she is. Take her instead!” 30
Judges 16:20
Context16:20 She said, “The Philistines are here, 31 Samson!” He woke up 32 and thought, 33 “I will do as I did before 34 and shake myself free.” But he did not realize that the Lord had left him.
Judges 18:24
Context18:24 He said, “You stole my gods that I made, as well as this priest, and then went away. What do I have left? How can you have the audacity to say to me, ‘What do you want?’” 35
1 tn Heb “And I also said.” The use of the perfect tense here suggests that the messenger is recalling an earlier statement (see Josh 23:12-13). However, some translate, “And I also say,” understanding the following words as an announcement of judgment upon those gathered at Bokim.
2 tn The words “If you disobey” are supplied in the translation for clarity. See Josh 23:12-13.
3 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the Canaanites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word צִדִּים (tsiddim) is uncertain in this context. It may be related to an Akkadian cognate meaning “snare.” If so, a more literal translation would be “they will become snares to you.” Normally the term in question means “sides,” but this makes no sense here. On the basis of Num 33:55 some suggest the word for “thorns” has been accidentally omitted. If this word is added, the text would read, “they will become [thorns] in your sides” (cf. NASB, NIV, NLT).
5 tn Heb “their gods will become a snare to you.”
6 tn Heb “horde”; “multitude.”
7 tn Heb “hand” (also a second time later in this verse).
8 tn Heb “Do not fear.”
9 tn Heb “you have not listened to my voice.”
10 tn Heb “you.” The Hebrew pronoun is masculine plural, probably referring to the entire army.
11 tn The Hebrew pronoun here is singular.
12 tn Heb “All the people should go, each to his place.”
13 tn The words “I swear” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
14 tn Heb “the one coming out, who comes out from.” The text uses a masculine singular participle with prefixed article, followed by a relative pronoun and third masculine singular verb. The substantival masculine singular participle הַיּוֹצֵא (hayyotse’, “the one coming out”) is used elsewhere of inanimate objects (such as a desert [Num 21:13] or a word [Num 32:24]) or persons (Jer 5:6; 21:9; 38:2). In each case context must determine the referent. Jephthah may have envisioned an animal meeting him, since the construction of Iron Age houses would allow for an animal coming through the doors of a house (see R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 208). But the fact that he actually does offer up his daughter indicates the language of the vow is fluid enough to encompass human beings, including women. He probably intended such an offering from the very beginning, but he obviously did not expect his daughter to meet him first.
15 tn The language is fluid enough to include women and perhaps even animals, but the translation uses the masculine pronoun because the Hebrew form is grammatically masculine.
16 tn Some translate “or,” suggesting that Jephthah makes a distinction between humans and animals. According to this view, if a human comes through the door, then Jephthah will commit him/her to the
17 tn Heb “you have brought me very low,” or “you have knocked me to my knees.” The infinitive absolute precedes the verb for emphasis.
18 tn Heb “You are among [or “like”] those who trouble me.”
19 tn Heb “I opened my mouth to the
20 tn Heb A man of great strife I was and my people and the Ammonites.”
21 tn Heb “hand.”
22 tn Heb “you were no deliverer.” Codex Alexandrinus (A) of the LXX has “no one was helping.”
23 tn Heb “I put my life in my hand.”
24 tn Heb “crossed over to.”
25 tn The Hebrew adds “against me” here. This is redundant in English and has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
26 tn Heb “If you really can tell it to me [during] the seven days of the feast and you find [its answer].”
27 tn Heb “changes.”
28 tn Heb “saying, I said.” The first person form of אָמַר (’amar, “to say”) sometimes indicates self-reflection. The girl’s father uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis.
29 tn Heb “hating, you hated.” Once again the girl’s father uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis.
30 tn Heb “Is her younger sister not better than her? Let her [i.e., the younger sister] be yours instead of her [i.e., Samson’s ‘bride’]).”
31 tn Heb “are upon you.”
32 tn The Hebrew adds, “from his sleep.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
33 tn Heb “and said.”
34 tn Heb “I will go out as before.”
35 tn Heb “What is this you say to me, ‘What to you?’”
