Discovery BoxJudges 5:14 
Context5:14 They came from Ephraim, who uprooted Amalek, 1
they follow 2 after you, Benjamin, with your soldiers.
From Makir leaders came down,
from Zebulun came 3 the ones who march carrying 4 an officer’s staff.
Judges 20:39
Context20:39 the Israelites counterattacked. 5 Benjamin had begun to strike down the Israelites; 6 they struck down 7 about thirty men. They said, “There’s no doubt about it! They are totally defeated as in the earlier battle.”
1 tn Heb “From Ephraim their root in Amalek” (the words “they came” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons). Because of the difficulty of the MT, many prefer to follow one of the ancient versions or emend the text. For various proposals see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 252-53. The present translation repoints שָׁרְשָׁם (shorsham, traditionally translated “their root”) as a Piel verb form with enclitic mem (ם). The preposition ב (bet) on עֲמָלֵק (’amaleq) introduces the object (see Job 31:12 for an example of the construction). Ephraim’s territory encompassed the hill country of the Amalekites (Judg 12:15).
2 tn The words “They follow” are supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
3 tn The word “came” is supplied in the translation for clarification and for stylistic reasons.
4 tn Or possibly “who carry.”
5 tn Heb “turned in the battle.”
6 tn Heb “And Benjamin began to strike down wounded ones among the men of Israel.”
7 tn The words “they struck down” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
