For whenever the Israelites put in seed …: For whenever is literally “And it happened if.” This phrase introduces something that happened over and over for a long time. Every time the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites attacked them. Translators can say “Every time” (Contemporary English Version), “Each time,” or simply “Whenever” (Good News Translation, New International Version). Contemporary English Version begins a new paragraph here, but since the narrator is still setting the scene by describing the Midianite oppression, Revised Standard Version and most other versions do not have a paragraph break.

The Israelites put in seed sets the time frame for the Midianite attacks. In Israel grain crops were typically sown in November-December and harvested in April-May after the spring rains ended. Spring was also the time people went to battle (verse 2 Sam 11.1). It is very likely that the Israelites were forced down from their hiding places in order to tend their fields at these times. On the more open ground they were an easier target for their enemies. The Israelites is literally “Israel,” but Revised Standard Version‘s direct reference to the people of Israel will be better understood. Put in seed renders only one word in Hebrew, the verb meaning “plant.” Translators should find the most general word for sowing crops, if possible, without specifying any crop. Contemporary English Version provides a helpful model for this clause, saying “Every time the Israelites would plant crops.” Habitual action is being described and translators should use the appropriate verb forms here.

The Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East would come up and attack them: This clause lists three enemies of Israel. For the Midianites, see verse 6.1; for the Amalekites, see verse 3.13. The people of the East (literally “the sons/children of [the] east”) may be an inclusive expression for all the people groups who lived east of the Jordan River, including the Midianites and Amalekites. This phrase occurs several other times in this episode (verse 6.33; verse 7.12; verse 8.10), but nowhere else in the book of Judges. New American Bible renders it as “the Kedemites,” but this is not the best model to follow. This phrase is better translated “the tribes from the eastern desert” or even “the nomads from the east.” Good News Translation says simply “the desert tribes.” Contemporary English Version has “other eastern nations,” which seems incorrect, since these peoples were nomadic tribes. Whatever solution is adopted, the same expression should be used later in this story.

Would come up renders the Hebrew verb meaning “go up” (ʿalah), with its military sense “attack” (see verse 1.1). Its verb form shows this was a common practice or something that happened regularly. The verb meaning “go up” occurs twice in Hebrew, which is literally “and Midian would go up, and Amalek and the sons/children of the east, and they would go up against him.” Using this verb twice makes it very emphatic. Many languages do not need this repetition, but Revised Standard Version conveys the emphasis by using two different verbs, come up and attack. We can simply say “attack” or “invade.” Them renders a singular pronoun in Hebrew, referring to Israel, but most versions use a plural here. Given the context, it is hard to know whether the enemies came while the Israelites were actually planting (so Revised Standard Version), or after they had finished (so Revised English Bible). Translators will have to decide which interpretation is best.

Translation models for this verse are:

• Whenever the Israelites would plant their crops, the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the other eastern tribes would come and attack them.

• Every time the people of Israel planted their crops, the peoples from Midian, Amalek, and the rest of the eastern desert attacked them.

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 .