Hakim-hakim 5:9

5:9 My heart went out ¹  to Israel’s leaders,

to the people who answered the call to war.

Praise the Lord!

Hakim-hakim 8:16

8:16 He seized the leaders ²  of the city, along with some desert thorns and briers; he then “threshed” the men of Succoth with them. ³ 

Hakim-hakim 9:26

9:26 Gaal son of Ebed ⁴  came through Shechem with his brothers. The leaders of Shechem transferred their loyalty to him. ⁵ 

Hakim-hakim 18:17

18:17 The five men who had gone to spy out the land broke in and stole ⁶  the carved image, the ephod, the personal idols, and the metal image, while the priest was standing at the entrance to the gate with the six hundred fully armed men. ⁷ 

Hakim-hakim 18:20

18:20 The priest was happy. He took the ephod, the personal idols, and the carved image and joined the group. ⁸ 

[5:9]  ¹ tn The words “went out” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[8:16]  ² tn Heb “elders.”

[8:16]  ³ tc The translation follows the reading of several ancient versions (LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate) in assuming the form וַיָּדָשׁ (vayyadash) from the verb דּוֹשׁ (dosh, “thresh”) as in v. 7. The MT reads instead the form וַיֹּדַע (vayyoda’, “make known”), a Hiphil form of יָדַע (yadah). In this case one could translate, “he used them [i.e., the thorns and briers] to teach the men of Succoth a lesson.”

[9:26]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ 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).

[18:17]  ⁶ tn Heb “went up, went in there, took.”

[18:17]  ⁷ tn Heb “six hundred men, equipped with the weapons of war.”

[18:20]  ⁸ tn Heb “and went into the midst of the people.”