Hakim-hakim 5:2

5:2 “When the leaders took the lead ¹  in Israel,

When the people answered the call to war –

Praise the Lord!

Hakim-hakim 5:9

5:9 My heart went out ²  to Israel’s leaders,

to the people who answered the call to war.

Praise the Lord!

Hakim-hakim 6:36

6:36 Gideon said to God, “If you really intend to use me to deliver Israel, ³  as you promised, then give me a sign as proof. ⁴ 

Hakim-hakim 8:33

Israel Returns to Baal-Worship

8:33 After Gideon died, the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They made Baal-Berith ⁵  their god.

Hakim-hakim 11:30

11:30 Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, saying, “If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me,

Hakim-hakim 20:23

20:23 The Israelites went up and wept before the Lord until evening. They asked the Lord, “Should we ⁶  again march out to fight ⁷  the Benjaminites, our brothers?” ⁸  The Lord said, “Attack them!” ⁹ 

[5:2]  ¹ tn The meaning of the Hebrew expression בִּפְרֹעַ פְּרָעוֹת (bifroa’ pÿra’ot) is uncertain. Numerous proposals are offered by commentators. (For a survey of opinions, see B. Lindars, Judges 1-5, 223-27.) The next line refers to the people who responded to Barak’s summons to war, so a reference to the leaders who issued the summons would provide a natural poetic parallel. In v. 9 the leaders (חוֹקְקֵי, khoqÿqey) of the people and these same volunteers stand in poetic parallelism, so it is reasonable to assume that the difficult Hebrew term פְּרַעוֹת (pÿra’ot, v. 2a) is synonymous with חוֹקְקֵי (khoqÿqey) of v. 9 (see Lindars, 227).

[5:9]  ² tn The words “went out” are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[6:36]  ³ tn More literally, “you are about to deliver Israel by my hand.”

[6:36]  ⁴ tn The words “then give me a sign as proof” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[8:33]  ⁵ sn Baal-Berith was a local manifestation of the Canaanite storm god. The name means, ironically, “Baal of the covenant.” Israel’s covenant allegiance had indeed shifted.

[20:23]  ⁶ tn Heb “I” (collective singular).

[20:23]  ⁷ tn Heb “approach for battle.”

[20:23]  ⁸ tn Heb “my brother” (collective singular).

[20:23]  ⁹ tn Heb “Go up against him” (collective singular).