This verse provides two good examples of stairstep parallelism. The word Curse appearing in line 1 is repeated and expanded upon in line 2. To the help of the LORD in line 3 is expanded upon in line 4. Similar examples of this kind of parallelism occur in verse 5.5, 11, 27. The Hebrew verb for curse is in focus here, since it occurs three times.
Curse Meroz is a call by Yahweh’s angel to the people of Israel. He is telling them to curse the city of Meroz. The Hebrew word for curse (ʾarar) is a very strong verb, which speaks of invoking death, unhappiness or evil on another person or group. Very often curses are invoked in association with the name of a deity. In the framework of the deuteronomic material (Deut 27–28; verse 30), the terms “bless” and curse are linked directly to the keeping of the Law, and express the joy of obedience and the pain of disobedience. In the context of this song the singers are calling upon the community to curse or condemn fellow Israelites who failed to answer the call to assist their brothers. These people are considered to have broken the covenant relationship and the Law that provides the guidelines for that relationship. In the Bible a curse is pronounced by people but carried out by God. Blessings and curses are an integral part of many cultures, and most have idiomatic expressions that can be used here. Some might speak of “saying/putting/throwing a curse on someone.” However, as the notion of cursing varies from one culture to another, translators must be careful not to imply witchcraft or the casting of some kind of spell. In some languages translators might say “May God’s judgment fall on Meroz” or “May the LORD punish….”
Many scholars think Meroz refers to a town in the north of Palestine, located about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) southeast of Kedesh in the region of Naphtali, while others think it is simply unknown. The text does not tell us why this locality is singled out for a curse, even though the reason for the curse is clear. Like the tribes listed in verse 5.15d-17, the inhabitants of this town refused to respond to the cry for help from the other Israelites. The Hebrew form of the name seems to be a verbal participle, and the name may be a play on words, since a similar Hebrew root means “doom” or “calamity” (see Isa 24.16, where it is rendered “pine away”). Thus Curse Meroz seems to mean “curse the doomed ones.” This clause could in fact be a poetic way of cursing all those who deserve this curse, that is, all those who refused to come to the aid of the related tribes. Most versions transliterate this name, but its meaning can be added in a footnote. The next line speaks of its inhabitants, so translators may wish to anticipate that by saying “Curse the town of Meroz” or “Curse the people of Meroz.”
Says the angel of the LORD: In many languages it will be more natural to put this quote frame before the quotation (so Contemporary English Version). For the angel of the LORD, see verse 2.1. This angel is a messenger who represents Yahweh, though in some passages the expression seems to designate Yahweh himself (see, for example, verse 6.11-24; Gen 16.7-14). Translators should use the same expression throughout this book and the rest of the Old Testament.
Curse bitterly its inhabitants is literally “curse to curse its inhabitants.” The Hebrew construction here highlights the verb curse, and translators should try to render this emphasis in their language. Good News Translation expresses the emphasis by repeating the word “curse”: “a curse, a curse on those who live there.” We could also say “Curse them! Curse them!” Its inhabitants refers to the people of Meroz. For the Hebrew verb rendered inhabitants (yashab), see verse 1.11. The word comes from the same root as the verb used to describe the other people who stayed behind (see verse 5.16, where it is translated “tarry,” and verse 5.17, where it is translated “sat still”).
Because they came not to the help of the LORD: This line gives the reason the people of Meroz are to be punished or cursed. They failed to join the LORD’s battle against Sisera and his troops. The Hebrew conjunction ki rendered because introduces this reason. The pronoun they refers to the people of Meroz. They came not to the help of the LORD may sound strange, since it seems to imply that God needs the help of these people to defeat the enemy, but it probably means they did not rally behind those whom the LORD sent to battle. Came renders the generic Hebrew verb of movement. We might say “they did not come alongside the LORD to provide help” or “they refused to come and fight for the LORD.”
To the help of the LORD against the mighty builds on the previous line, by repeating to the help of the LORD and adding the phrase against the mighty. For the first part of the line translators should use the same expression as in the previous line. Translators should try to imitate the stairstep effect, if possible. The Hebrew preposition rendered against may also mean “among” or “with.” Revised Standard Version gives one possible interpretation by saying the people did not come together to fight against the mighty enemy. Taking another interpretation, this line could mean that these people did not join with the mighty, the Israelite army. For example, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “To the aid of the LORD among the warriors.” For against the mighty, see verse 5.13. Translators should try to be consistent in their rendering of this phrase in the poem.
Translation models for this verse are:
• “ ‘Cursed be Meroz,’ says the LORD’s messenger.
‘Cursed are its people,
because they did not assist the LORD
in his fight against the enemy warriors.’
• “Yahweh’s messenger says:
‘Let a curse come upon Meroz,
upon Meroz and its inhabitants,
because they refused to join the mighty warriors,
the mighty warriors who fought for Yahweh.’
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 .