1 Samuel 1:1-28
Konteks1:1 There was a man from Ramathaim Zophim, 1 from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. 1:2 He had two wives; the name of the first was Hannah and the name of the second was Peninnah. Now Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.
1:3 Year after year 2 this man would go up from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. It was there that the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, served as the Lord’s priests. 1:4 Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he used to give meat portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. 1:5 But he would give a double 3 portion to Hannah, because he especially loved her. 4 Now the Lord had not enabled her to have children. 5 1:6 Her rival wife used to upset her and make her worry, 6 for the Lord had not enabled her to have children. 1:7 Peninnah 7 would behave this way year after year. Whenever Hannah 8 went up to the Lord’s house, Peninnah 9 would upset her so that she would weep and refuse to eat. 1:8 Finally her husband Elkanah said to her, “Hannah, why do you weep and not eat? Why are you so sad? 10 Am I not better to you than ten 11 sons?”
1:9 On one occasion in Shiloh, after they had finished eating and drinking, Hannah got up. 12 (Now at the time Eli the priest was sitting in his chair 13 by the doorpost of the Lord’s temple.) 1:10 She was very upset 14 as she prayed to the Lord, and she was weeping uncontrollably. 15 1:11 She made a vow saying, “O Lord of hosts, if you will look with compassion 16 on the suffering of your female servant, 17 remembering me and not forgetting your servant, and give a male child 18 to your servant, then I will dedicate him to the Lord all the days of his life. His hair will never be cut.” 19
1:12 As she continued praying to 20 the Lord, Eli was watching her mouth. 1:13 Now Hannah was speaking from her heart. Although her lips were moving, her voice was inaudible. Eli therefore thought she was drunk. 1:14 So he 21 said to her, “How often do you intend to get drunk? Put away your wine!”
1:15 But Hannah replied, “That’s not the way it is, 22 my lord! I am under a great deal of stress. 23 I have drunk neither wine nor beer. Rather, I have poured out my soul to 24 the Lord. 1:16 Don’t consider your servant a wicked woman, 25 for until now I have spoken from my deep pain and anguish.”
1:17 Eli replied, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the request that you have asked of him.” 1:18 She said, “May I, your servant, find favor in your sight.” So the woman went her way and got something to eat. 26 Her face no longer looked sad.
1:19 They got up early the next morning and after worshiping the Lord, they returned to their home at Ramah. Elkanah had marital relations with 27 his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered 28 her. 1:20 After some time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, thinking, “I asked the Lord for him. 29
1:21 This man Elkanah went up with all his family to make the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and to keep his vow, 1:22 but Hannah did not go up with them. 30 Instead she told her husband, “Once the boy is weaned, I will bring him and appear before the Lord, and he will remain there from then on.”
1:23 So her husband Elkanah said to her, “Do what you think best. 31 Stay until you have weaned him. May the Lord fulfill his promise.” 32
So the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him. 1:24 Once she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with three bulls, an ephah 33 of flour, and a container 34 of wine. She brought him to the Lord’s house at Shiloh, even though he was young. 35 1:25 Once the bull had been slaughtered, they brought the boy to Eli. 1:26 She said, “Just as surely as you are alive, my lord, I am the woman who previously stood here with you in order to pray to the Lord. 1:27 I prayed for this boy, and the Lord has given me the request that I asked of him. 1:28 Now I dedicate him to the Lord. From this time on he is dedicated to the Lord.” Then they 36 worshiped the Lord there.
Hakim-hakim 9:1-57
Konteks9:1 Now Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem to see his mother’s relatives. 37 He said to them and to his mother’s entire extended family, 38 9:2 “Tell 39 all the leaders of Shechem this: ‘Why would you want 40 to have seventy men, all Jerub-Baal’s sons, ruling over you, when you can have just one ruler? Recall that I am your own flesh and blood.’” 41 9:3 His mother’s relatives 42 spoke on his behalf to 43 all the leaders of Shechem and reported his proposal. 44 The leaders were drawn to Abimelech; 45 they said, “He is our close relative.” 46 9:4 They paid him seventy silver shekels out of the temple of Baal-Berith. Abimelech then used the silver to hire some lawless, dangerous 47 men as his followers. 48 9:5 He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and murdered his half-brothers, 49 the seventy legitimate 50 sons of Jerub-Baal, on one stone. Only Jotham, Jerub-Baal’s youngest son, escaped, 51 because he hid. 9:6 All the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo assembled and then went and made Abimelech king by the oak near the pillar 52 in Shechem.
9:7 When Jotham heard the news, 53 he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He spoke loudly to the people below, 54 “Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, so that God may listen to you!
9:8 “The trees were determined to go out 55 and choose a king for themselves. 56 They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king!’ 57 9:9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my oil, which is used to honor gods and men, just to sway above the other trees!’ 58
9:10 “So the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king!’ 59 9:11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my sweet figs, my excellent fruit, just to sway above the other trees!’ 60
9:12 “So the trees said to the grapevine, ‘You come and be our king!’ 61 9:13 But the grapevine said to them, ‘I am not going to stop producing my wine, which makes gods and men so happy, just to sway above the other trees!’ 62
9:14 “So all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘You come and be our king!’ 63 9:15 The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to choose 64 me as your king, then come along, find safety under my branches! 65 Otherwise 66 may fire blaze from the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’
9:16 “Now, if you have shown loyalty and integrity when you made Abimelech king, if you have done right to Jerub-Baal and his family, 67 if you have properly repaid him 68 – 9:17 my father fought for you; he risked his life 69 and delivered you from Midian’s power. 70 9:18 But you have attacked 71 my father’s family 72 today. You murdered his seventy legitimate 73 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. 74 9:19 So if you have shown loyalty and integrity to Jerub-Baal and his family 75 today, then may Abimelech bring you happiness and may you bring him happiness! 76 9:20 But if not, may fire blaze from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo! May fire also blaze from the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo and consume Abimelech!” 9:21 Then Jotham ran away 77 to Beer and lived there to escape from 78 Abimelech his half-brother. 79
9:22 Abimelech commanded 80 Israel for three years. 9:23 God sent a spirit to stir up hostility 81 between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. He made the leaders of Shechem disloyal 82 to Abimelech. 9:24 He did this so the violent deaths of Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons might be avenged and Abimelech, their half-brother 83 who murdered them, might have to pay for their spilled blood, along with the leaders of Shechem who helped him murder them. 84 9:25 The leaders of Shechem rebelled against Abimelech by putting 85 bandits in 86 the hills, who robbed everyone who traveled by on the road. But Abimelech found out about it. 87
9:26 Gaal son of Ebed 88 came through Shechem with his brothers. The leaders of Shechem transferred their loyalty to him. 89 9:27 They went out to the field, harvested their grapes, 90 squeezed out the juice, 91 and celebrated. They came to the temple 92 of their god and ate, drank, and cursed Abimelech. 9:28 Gaal son of Ebed said, “Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal, and is not Zebul the deputy he appointed? 93 Serve the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem! But why should we serve Abimelech? 94 9:29 If only these men 95 were under my command, 96 I would get rid of Abimelech!” He challenged Abimelech, 97 “Muster 98 your army and come out for battle!” 99
9:30 When Zebul, the city commissioner, heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he was furious. 100 9:31 He sent messengers to Abimelech, who was in Arumah, 101 reporting, “Beware! 102 Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers are coming 103 to Shechem and inciting the city to rebel against you. 104 9:32 Now, come up 105 at night with your men 106 and set an ambush in the field outside the city. 107 9:33 In the morning at sunrise quickly attack the city. When he and his men come out to fight you, do what you can to him.” 108
9:34 So Abimelech and all his men came up 109 at night and set an ambush outside Shechem – they divided into 110 four units. 9:35 When Gaal son of Ebed came out and stood at the entrance to the city’s gate, Abimelech and his men got up from their hiding places. 9:36 Gaal saw the men 111 and said to Zebul, “Look, men are coming down from the tops of the hills.” But Zebul said to him, “You are seeing the shadows on the hills – it just looks like men.” 112 9:37 Gaal again said, “Look, men are coming down from the very center 113 of the land. A unit 114 is coming by way of the Oak Tree of the Diviners.” 115 9:38 Zebul said to him, “Where now are your bragging words, 116 ‘Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Are these not the men 117 you insulted? 118 Go out now and fight them!” 9:39 So Gaal led the leaders of Shechem out 119 and fought Abimelech. 9:40 Abimelech chased him, and Gaal 120 ran from him. Many Shechemites 121 fell wounded at the entrance of the gate. 9:41 Abimelech went back 122 to Arumah; Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem. 123
9:42 The next day the Shechemites 124 came out to the field. When Abimelech heard about it, 125 9:43 he took his men 126 and divided them into three units and set an ambush in the field. When he saw the people coming out of the city, 127 he attacked and struck them down. 128 9:44 Abimelech and his units 129 attacked and blocked 130 the entrance to the city’s gate. Two units then attacked all the people in the field and struck them down. 9:45 Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed all the people in it. Then he leveled 131 the city and spread salt over it. 132
9:46 When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem 133 heard the news, they went to the stronghold 134 of the temple of El-Berith. 135 9:47 Abimelech heard 136 that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were in one place. 137 9:48 He and all his men 138 went up on Mount Zalmon. He 139 took an ax 140 in his hand and cut off a tree branch. He put it 141 on his shoulder and said to his men, “Quickly, do what you have just seen me do!” 142 9:49 So each of his men also cut off a branch and followed Abimelech. They put the branches 143 against the stronghold and set fire to it. 144 All the people 145 of the Tower of Shechem died – about a thousand men and women.
9:50 Abimelech moved on 146 to Thebez; he besieged and captured it. 147 9:51 There was a fortified 148 tower 149 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. 9:52 Abimelech came and attacked the tower. When he approached the entrance of the tower to set it on fire, 9:53 a woman threw an upper millstone 150 down on his 151 head and shattered his skull. 9:54 He quickly called to the young man who carried his weapons, 152 “Draw your sword and kill me, so they will not say, 153 ‘A woman killed him.’” So the young man stabbed him and he died. 9:55 When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they went home. 154
9:56 God repaid Abimelech for the evil he did to his father by murdering his seventy half-brothers. 155 9:57 God also repaid the men of Shechem for their evil deeds. The curse spoken by Jotham son of Jerub-Baal fell 156 on them.
[1:1] 1 tc The translation follows the MT. The LXX reads “a man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite”; this is followed by a number of recent English translations. It is possible the MT reading צוֹפִים (tsofim) arose from dittography of the mem (מ) at the beginning of the following word.
[1:3] 2 tn Heb “from days to days.”
[1:5] 3 tn The exact sense of the Hebrew word אַפָּיִם (’appayim, “two faces”) is not certain here. It is most likely used with the preceding expression (“one portion of two faces”) to mean a portion double than normally received. Although evidence for this use of the word derives primarily from Aramaic rather than from Hebrew usage, it provides an understanding that fits the context here better than other suggestions for the word do. The meaning “double” is therefore adopted in the present translation. Other possibilities for the meaning of the word include the following: “heavily” (cf. Vulg., tristis) and “worthy” or “choice” (cf. KJV and Targum). Some scholars have followed the LXX here, emending the word to אֶפֶס (’efes) and translating it as “but” or “however.” This seems unnecessary. The translators of the LXX may simply have been struggling to make sense of the word rather than following a Hebrew text that was different from the MT here.
[1:5] 4 tn Heb “for Hannah he loved.” Repetition of the proper name would seem redundant in contemporary English, so the pronoun (“her”) has been used here for clarity. The translation also adds the adverb “especially” to clarify the meaning of the text. Without this addition one might get the impression that only Hannah, not Peninnah, was loved by her husband. But the point of the text is that Hannah was his favorite.
[1:5] 5 tn Heb “and the
[1:6] 6 tn Heb “and her rival wife grieved her, even [with] grief so as to worry her.”
[1:7] 7 tn The MT has a masculine form of the verb here יַעֲשֶׂה (ya’aseh, “he used to do”); the subject in that case would presumably be Elkanah. But this leads to an abrupt change of subject in the following part of the verse, where the subject is the rival wife who caused Hannah anxiety. In light of v. 6 one expects the statement of v. 7 to refer to the ongoing actions of the rival wife: “she used to behave in this way year after year.” Some scholars have proposed retaining the masculine form but changing the vocalization of the verb so as to read a Niphal rather than a Qal (i.e., יֵעֲשֶׂה, ye’aseh, “so it used to be done”). But the problem here is lack of precedent for such a use of the Niphal of this verb. It seems best in light of the context to understand the reference to be to Hannah’s rival Peninnah and to read here, with the Syriac Peshitta, a feminine form of the verb (“she used to do”). In the translation the referent (Peninnah) has been specified for clarity.
[1:7] 8 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Hannah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:7] 9 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Peninnah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:8] 10 tn Heb “why is your heart displeased?”
[1:8] 11 sn Like the number seven, the number ten is sometimes used in the OT as an ideal number (see, for example, Dan 1:20, Zech 8:23).
[1:9] 12 tc The LXX adds “and stood before the Lord,” but this is probably a textual expansion due to the terseness of the statement in the Hebrew text.
[1:9] 13 tn Or perhaps, “on his throne.” See Joüon 2:506-7 §137.f.
[1:10] 14 tn Heb “she [was in] bitterness of soul.”
[1:10] 15 tn Heb “and weeping, she was weeping.” The infinitive absolute emphasizes the extent of her sorrow. The imperfect verbal form emphasizes the continuation of the action in past time.
[1:11] 16 tn Heb “if looking you look.” The expression can refer, as here, to looking favorably upon another, in this case with compassion.
[1:11] 17 tn Heb “handmaid.” The use of this term (translated two more times in this verse and once each in vv. 16, 17 simply as “servant” for stylistic reasons) is an expression of humility.
[1:11] 18 tn Heb “seed of men.”
[1:11] 19 tn Heb “a razor will not go up upon his head.”
[1:12] 20 tc Heb “before.” Many medieval Hebrew manuscripts read “to.”
[1:14] 21 tn Heb “Eli.” The pronoun (“he”) has been used in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.
[1:15] 23 tn Heb “I am a woman difficult of spirit.” The LXX has “for whom the day is difficult,” apparently mistaking the Hebrew word for “spirit” רוּחַ (ruakh) to be the word for “day” יוֹם (yom).
[1:16] 25 tn Heb “daughter of worthlessness.”
[1:18] 26 tc Several medieval Hebrew
[1:19] 27 tn Heb “Elkanah knew his wife.” The Hebrew expression is a euphemism for sexual relations.
[1:19] 28 sn The Lord “remembered” her in the sense of granting her earlier request for a child. The Hebrew verb is often used in the OT for considering the needs or desires of people with favor and kindness.
[1:20] 29 tn Heb “because from the
[1:22] 30 tn The disjunctive clause is contrastive here. The words “with them” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[1:23] 31 tn Heb “what is good in your eyes.”
[1:23] 32 tn Heb “establish his word.” This apparently refers to the promise inherent in Eli’s priestly blessing (see v. 17).
[1:24] 33 sn The ephah was a standard dry measure in OT times; it was the equivalent of one-tenth of the OT measure known as a homer. The ephah was equal to approximately one-half to two-thirds of a bushel.
[1:24] 34 tn The Hebrew term translated “container” may denote either a clay storage jar (cf. CEV “a clay jar full of wine”) or a leather container (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV “a skin of wine”; NCV “a leather bag filled with (full of TEV) wine.”
[1:24] 35 tc Heb “and the boy was a boy.” If the MT is correct the meaning apparently is that the boy was quite young at the time of these events. On the other hand, some scholars have suspected a textual problem, emending the text to read either “and the boy was with them” (so LXX) or “and the boy was with her” (a conjectural emendation). In spite of the difficulty it seems best to stay with the MT here.
[1:28] 36 tn Heb “he,” apparently referring to Samuel (but cf. CEV “Elkanah”). A few medieval manuscripts and some ancient versions take the verb as plural (cf. TEV, NLT).
[9:1] 38 tn Heb “to all the extended family of the house of the father of his mother.”
[9:2] 39 tn Heb “Speak into the ears of.”
[9:2] 40 tn Heb “What good is it to you?”
[9:2] 41 tn Heb “your bone and your flesh.”
[9:3] 43 tn Heb “into the ears of.”
[9:3] 44 tn Heb “and all these words.”
[9:3] 45 tn Heb “Their heart was inclined after Abimelech.”
[9:3] 46 tn Heb “our brother.”
[9:4] 47 tn Heb “empty and reckless.”
[9:4] 48 tn Heb “and they followed him.”
[9:5] 49 tn Heb “his brothers.”
[9:5] 50 tn The word “legitimate” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[9:6] 52 tc The translation assumes that the form in the Hebrew text (מֻצָּב, mutsav) is a corruption of an original מַצֵּבָה (matsevah, “pillar”). The reference is probably to a pagan object of worship (cf. LXX).
[9:7] 53 tn Heb “And they reported to Jotham.” The subject of the plural verb is indefinite.
[9:7] 54 tn Heb “He lifted his voice and called and said to them.”
[9:8] 55 tn Heb “Going they went, the trees.” The precise emphatic force of the infinitive absolute (“Going”) is not entirely clear. Perhaps here it indicates determination, as in Gen 31:30, where one might translate, “You have insisted on going away.”
[9:8] 56 tn Heb “to anoint [with oil] over them a king.”
[9:8] 57 tn Or “Rule over us!”
[9:9] 58 tn Heb “Should I stop my abundance, with which they honor gods and men, and go to sway over the trees?” The negative sentence in the translation reflects the force of the rhetorical question.
[9:10] 59 tn Or “and rule over us!”
[9:11] 60 tn Heb “Should I stop my sweetness and my good fruit and go to sway over the trees? The negative sentence in the translation reflects the force of the rhetorical question.
[9:12] 61 tn Or “and rule over us!”
[9:13] 62 tn Heb “Should I stop my wine, which makes happy gods and men, and go to sway over the trees?” The negative sentence in the translation reflects the force of the rhetorical question.
[9:14] 63 tn Or “and rule over us!”
[9:15] 64 tn Heb “are about to anoint [with oil].”
[9:15] 65 tn Heb “in my shade.”
[9:16] 68 tn Heb “if according to the deeds of his hands you have done to him.”
[9:17] 69 tc Heb “threw his life out in front,” that is, “exposed himself to danger.” The MT form מִנֶּגֶד (minneged, “from before”) should probably be read as מִנֶּגְדּוֹ (minnegdo, “from before him”); haplography of vav has likely occurred here in the MT.
[9:18] 71 tn Heb “have risen up against.”
[9:18] 73 tn The word “legitimate” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification.
[9:18] 74 tn Heb “your brother.”
[9:19] 76 tn Heb “then rejoice in Abimelech, and may he also rejoice in you.”
[9:21] 77 tn Heb “fled and ran away and went.”
[9:21] 78 tn Heb “from before.”
[9:21] 79 tn Heb “his brother.”
[9:22] 80 tn The Hebrew verb translated “commanded” (שָׂרַר, sarar), which appears only here in Judges, differs from the ones employed earlier in this chapter (מָשַׁל [mashal] and מָלַךְ [malakh]).
[9:22] sn Abimelech commanded Israel. Perhaps while ruling as king over the city-state of Shechem, Abimelech also became a leader of the Israelite tribal alliance (see R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 175).
[9:23] 81 tn Heb “an evil spirit.” A nonphysical, spirit being is in view, like the one who volunteered to deceive Ahab (1 Kgs 22:21). The traditional translation, “evil spirit,” implies the being is inherently wicked, perhaps even demonic, but this is not necessarily the case. The Hebrew adjective רָעַה (ra’ah) can have a nonethical sense, “harmful; dangerous; calamitous.” When modifying רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) it may simply indicate that the being in view causes harm to the object of God’s judgment. G. F. Moore (Judges [ICC], 253) here refers to a “mischief-making spirit.”
[9:23] 82 tn Heb “The leaders of Shechem were disloyal.” The words “he made” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[9:24] 83 tn Heb “their brother.”
[9:24] 84 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.”
[9:25] 85 tn Heb “set against him bandits.”
[9:25] sn Putting bandits in the hills. This piracy certainly interrupted or discouraged trade, and probably deprived Abimelech of tariffs or tribute. See C. F. Burney, Judges, 277; G. F. Moore, Judges (ICC), 253.
[9:25] 86 tn Heb “on the tops of.”
[9:25] 87 tn Heb “It was told to Abimelech.”
[9:26] 88 sn The name Gaal derives from, or at least sounds like, a Hebrew verb meaning “to abhor, loathe.” His father’s name, Ebed, means “servant.” Perhaps then this could be translated, “loathsome one, son of a servant.” This individual’s very name (which may be the narrator’s nickname for him, not his actual name) seems to hint at his immoral character and lowly social status.
[9:26] 89 tn Heb “trusted in him.” Here the verb probably describes more than a mental attitude. It is likely that the Shechemites made an alliance with Gaal and were now trusting him for protection in return for their loyalty (and probably tribute).
[9:27] 91 tn Heb “stomped” or “trampled.” This refers to the way in which the juice was squeezed out in the wine vats by stepping on the grapes with one’s bare feet. For a discussion of grape harvesting in ancient Israel, see O. Borowski, Agriculture in Iron Age Israel, 110-14.
[9:28] 93 tn Heb “and Zebul his appointee.”
[9:28] 94 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abimelech) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:29] 96 tn Heb “in my hand.”
[9:29] sn If only these men were under my command. One might assume from v. 26b that the men were already at his disposal, but perhaps that was not one of the terms of the agreement. Another possibility is that v. 26 is a general summary statement, with vv. 27-29 then detailing how the alliance with Gaal came about.
[9:29] 97 tn Heb “said to Abimelech.” On the other hand, the preposition ל (lamed) prefixed to the proper name may be vocative (see R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 178). If so, one could translate, “He boasted, ‘Abimelech…’”
[9:29] 98 tn Heb “Make numerous.”
[9:29] 99 tn The words “for battle” are interpretive.
[9:30] 100 tn Heb “his anger burned.”
[9:31] 101 tn The form בְּתָרְמָה (bÿtarmah) in the Hebrew text, which occurs only here, has traditionally been understood to mean “secretly” or “with deception.” If this is correct, it is derived from II רָמָה (ramah, “to deceive”). Some interpreters object, pointing out that this would imply Zebul was trying to deceive Abimelech, which is clearly not the case in this context. But this objection is unwarranted. If retained, the phrase would refer instead to deceptive measures used by Zebul to avoid the suspicion of Gaal when he dispatched the messengers from Shechem. The present translation assumes an emendation to “in Arumah” (בָּארוּמָה, ba’rumah), a site mentioned in v. 41 as the headquarters of Abimelech. Confusion of alef and tav in archaic Hebrew script, while uncommon, is certainly not unimaginable.
[9:31] 103 tn The participle, as used here, suggests Gaal and his brothers are in the process of arriving, but the preceding verses imply they have already settled in. Perhaps Zebul uses understatement to avoid the appearance of negligence on his part. After all, if he made the situation sound too bad, Abimelech, when he was informed, might ask why he had allowed this rebellion to reach such a stage.
[9:31] 104 tn The words “to rebel” are interpretive. The precise meaning of the Hebrew verb צוּר (tsur) is unclear here. It is best to take it in the sense of “to instigate; to incite; to provoke” (see Deut 2:9, 19 and R. G. Boling, Judges [AB], 178).
[9:32] 106 tn Heb “you and the people who are with you.”
[9:32] 107 tn The words “outside the city” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[9:33] 108 tn Heb “Look! He and the people who are with him will come out to you, and you will do to him what your hand finds [to do].”
[9:34] 109 tn Heb “and all the people who were with him arose.”
[9:34] 110 tn Heb “four heads.” The words “they divided into” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[9:36] 111 tn Heb “the people” (also in vv. 38, 43, 48). These were warriors, so “men” has been used in the translation, since in ancient Israelite culture soldiers would have been exclusively males.
[9:36] 112 tn Heb “the shadow on the hills you are seeing, like men.”
[9:37] 113 tn Heb “navel.” On the background of the Hebrew expression “the navel of the land,” see R. G. Boling, Judges (AB), 178-79.
[9:37] 115 tn Some English translations simply transliterated this as a place name (Heb “Elon-meonenim”); cf. NAB, NRSV.
[9:38] 116 tn Heb “is your mouth that says.”
[9:38] 117 tn Heb “the people.”
[9:39] 119 tn Heb “So Gaal went out before the leaders of Shechem.”
[9:40] 120 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Gaal) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:40] 121 tn The word “Shechemites” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for clarification.
[9:41] 122 tc Heb “stayed.” Some scholars revise the vowel pointing on this verb from that of the MT, resulting in the translation “and he returned to.” The Lucianic recension of the LXX understands the word in this way.
[9:41] 123 tn Heb “drove…out from dwelling in Shechem.”
[9:42] 124 tn Heb “the people”; the referent (the Shechemites) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:42] 125 tn Heb “And they told Abimelech.”
[9:43] 126 tn Heb “his people.”
[9:43] 127 tn Heb “And he saw and, look, the people were coming out of the city.”
[9:43] 128 tn Heb “he arose against them and struck them.”
[9:44] 129 tn Or possibly, “the unit that was with him.”
[9:44] 130 tn Heb “stood [at].”
[9:45] 132 tn Heb “sowed it with salt.”
[9:45] sn The spreading of salt over the city was probably a symbolic act designed to place the site under a curse, deprive it of fertility, and prevent any future habitation. The practice is referred to outside the Bible as well. For example, one of the curses in the Aramaic Sefire treaty states concerning Arpad: “May Hadad sow in them salt and weeds, and may it not be mentioned again!” See J. A. Fitzmyer, The Aramaic Inscriptions of Sefire (BibOr), 15, 53. Deut 29:23, Jer 17:6, and Zeph 2:9 associate salt flats or salty regions with infertility and divine judgment.
[9:46] 133 sn Perhaps the Tower of Shechem was a nearby town, distinct from Shechem proper, or a tower within the city.
[9:46] 134 tn Apparently this rare word refers here to the most inaccessible area of the temple, perhaps the inner sanctuary or an underground chamber. It appears only here and in 1 Sam 13:6, where it is paired with “cisterns” and refers to subterranean or cave-like hiding places.
[9:46] 135 sn The name El-Berith means “God of the Covenant.” It is probably a reference to the Canaanite high god El.
[9:47] 136 tn Heb “and it was told to Abimelech.”
[9:47] 137 tn Heb “were assembled.”
[9:48] 138 tn Heb “his people.”
[9:48] 139 tn Heb “Abimelech.” The proper name has been replaced with the pronoun (“he”) due to considerations of English style.
[9:48] 140 tn The Hebrew text has the plural here.
[9:48] 141 tn Heb “he lifted it and put [it].”
[9:48] 142 tn Heb “What you have seen me do, quickly do like me.”
[9:49] 143 tn The words “the branches” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[9:49] 144 tn Heb “they kindled over them the stronghold with fire.”
[9:49] 145 tn Or “men,” but the word seems to have a more general sense here, as the conclusion to the sentence suggests.
[9:50] 147 tn Heb “he camped near Thebez and captured it.”
[9:51] 149 tn Or “fortress.” The same Hebrew term occurs once more in this verse and twice in v. 52.
[9:53] 150 sn A hand mill consisted of an upper stone and larger lower stone. One would turn the upper stone with a handle to grind the grain, which was placed between the stones. An upper millstone, which was typically about two inches thick and a foot or so in diameter, probably weighed 25-30 pounds (11.4-13.6 kg). See G. F. Moore, Judges (ICC), 268; C. F. Burney, Judges, 288.
[9:53] 151 tn Heb “Abimelech’s.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun “his” in the translation in keeping with conventions of English narrative style.
[9:54] 152 tn The Hebrew text adds, “and said to him.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[9:54] 153 tn The Hebrew text adds, “concerning me.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[9:55] 154 tn Heb “each to his own place.”
