Among all these were seven hundred picked men is literally “From all this people seven hundred picked man.” This clause is problematic since it seems to repeat what has just been said. Good News Translation and Revised English Bible omit these words, while other versions, such as Revised Standard Version, maintain them, implying there might be yet another group of 700 elite soldiers. But this repetition is meant to emphasize that each one of the soldiers from Gibeah was especially skilled. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project recommends keeping this clause with a {B} rating. Translators will have to choose to keep it or not, but this repetitive style serves a purpose here, as the narrator mocks people who choose to go to war to defend men who committed an obviously horrific crime. If these words are omitted, translators might indicate this in a footnote.
As noted above, all these is literally “all this people.” These words are highly significant, since the Hebrew word for “people” (ʿam) is the one used repeatedly throughout the Old Testament to refer to the Israelite people as a whole (see verse 2.4). Here all these refers to the Benjaminite soldiers. For seven hundred picked men, see verse 20.15.
Who were left-handed: This clause describes what distinguishes these men from all the other Benjaminite soldiers going to war. It is a very important detail in this book and in this particular episode. First, it constitutes an important play on words, since the name “Benjamin” means “son of the right [hand].” Thus these “sons of the right [hand]” were all left-handed. However, the play on words goes further because the Hebrew expression for left-handed is literally “bound/restricted in his right hand” (see verse 3.15). In some cultures even today, left-handed people are known for being particularly skilled. They are often forced to use their right hand, so they end up being ambidextrous, that is, able to use both hands. Since these 700 Benjaminites were left-handed, they were very effective warriors, which the next sentence makes clear. However, being left-handed is also associated with impurity, so there may be many connotations present here. Left-handed is part of an important inclusio in this book, since the expression occurs once at the beginning (verse 3.15) and once here at the end. Irony is strong here. In verse 3.12-30 Ehud, a courageous left-handed warrior, singlehandedly wins the victory over Israel’s powerful enemies. Here skilled left-handed soldiers fight against and kill thousands of their own brothers.
In some languages the wordplays occurring in verse 20.15-16 might be explained in a footnote, or even included in a discussion of special features of this book in introductory remarks (especially if the translation is intended for a study Bible).
Every one could sling a stone at a hair, and not miss is literally “all these [were] a slinger with the stone at the single hair, and he did not miss.” This sentence, almost certainly hyperbole or exaggeration, means these left-handed soldiers were extremely accurate when using the slingshot. The sling or slingshot is a simple weapon known in many cultures. In Israel at that time it was made up of leather ties, with a small piece of leather in the middle to hold a stone. The sling was twirled around the head and one of the ties was then released to allow the stone to sail toward its target. If slings do not exist in the target culture, we might say “Each one could throw a stone….” The stone was a small rock that fit in the slingshot. The size of the stone did not affect the effectiveness of the throw. Rather, it was the speed and accuracy of the shot that determined its effectiveness. A hair refers to a single strand of hair, something so small that it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to hit. And not miss means that every time they aimed at a target, even one as small and fine as a human hair, they would never miss. Even if this is not an idiomatic expression in the receptor language, it can probably be understood and even evoke the humor intended here. We might say “Every one of them was so skilled with the slingshot that they could aim at a single strand of hair and hit it every time.”
Given the repetition in verse 20.15-16, translators must ensure that the translation of this verse reads smoothly. Possible models are:
• Among the Benjaminite soldiers, these seven hundred special troops were left-handed.* Every one of them was so skilled with the slingshot that when they aimed at a single strand of hair, they would hit it every time.
* The name “Benjamin” means “son of the right (hand),” so this detail is especially striking.
• Among the soldiers of Benjamin, these seven hundred picked soldiers were left-handed. They could sling a stone at a single hair and never miss.
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 .