And the LORD said to the people of Israel may be rendered simply “And the LORD replied” (similarly New International Version).

Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines?: This rhetorical question is meant to reproach or reprimand the Israelites for their behavior. The question assumes the answer is “Yes.” As elsewhere, this rhetorical question can be rendered as a question or expressed as a statement of fact. The reprimand here is very close to the ones given elsewhere by the LORD’s angel (verse 2.1) and the LORD’s prophet (verse 6.8-9). The phrase I … deliver you is not in the Hebrew text. Revised Standard Version anticipates it from the next verse. The LORD frequently reminded the Israelites of how he had rescued them from the Egyptians, bringing them out of slavery under Moses (see Exo 13–14 and the comments on verse 2.1). The LORD also saved his people in an early battle against the Amorites (see Num 21.21-31 and the comments on verse 1.34). The LORD then refers to his victories over their other enemies in Canaan, including the Ammonites (literally “the sons [or, children] of Ammon”; see verse 3.13) and the Philistines (verse 3.3).

Translation models for this verse are:

• And the LORD replied, “I saved you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites and the Philistines, didn’t I?

• Then Yahweh scolded them by saying, “You know very well that I rescued you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, and the Philistines.

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .