1:19 The Lord was with the men of Judah. They conquered 1 the hill country, but they could not 2 conquer the people living in the coastal plain, because they had chariots with iron-rimmed wheels. 3
9:1 Now Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem to see his mother’s relatives. 5 He said to them and to his mother’s entire extended family, 6
9:26 Gaal son of Ebed 7 came through Shechem with his brothers. The leaders of Shechem transferred their loyalty to him. 8
1 tn Or “seized possession of”; or “occupied.”
2 tc Several textual witnesses support the inclusion of this verb.
3 tn Regarding the translation “chariots with iron-rimmed wheels,” see Y. Yadin, The Art of Warfare in Biblical Lands, 255, and the article by R. Drews, “The ‘Chariots of Iron’ of Joshua and Judges,” JSOT 45 (1989): 15-23.
4 tn Heb “did not do loyalty with,” or “did not act faithfully toward.”
7 tn Heb “brothers.”
8 tn Heb “to all the extended family of the house of the father of his mother.”
10 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.
11 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).
13 tn Heb “and it was told to Abimelech.”
14 tn Heb “were assembled.”
16 tn Heb “the house of Ephraim.”
17 tn Or “Israel experienced great distress.” Perhaps here the verb has the nuance “hemmed in.”
19 tn Heb “hurried and put off [their hiding place].”
20 tn Heb “the men hiding in ambush.”
21 tn Or “deployed.” The verb normally means “to lead” or “to draw.”