SIL Translator’s Notes on Judges 2023

SIL Translator’s Notes on Judges 1:28

1:28a When Israel became stronger, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor,

When the Israelites grew stronger, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves.
-or-
Later, the people of Israel became powerful. So they made the people of Canaan be slaves ⌊to work for them⌋ .

1:28b but they never drove them out completely.

But they could not force all the people of Canaan to leave their land.
-or-
But they were not able to send them away completely.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Judges 3:1

Section 3:1–6

Some nations remained In Canaan

3:1a These are the nations that the LORD left

These are the nations ⌊of Canaan⌋ that Yahweh allowed to remain ⌊in the land⌋ .
-or-
Yahweh allowed some people ⌊of Canaan⌋ to stay ⌊in the land⌋ .

3:1b to test all the Israelites who had not known any of the wars in Canaan,

⌊He let them remain⌋ to test the Israelites who had not been in any of the wars in Canaan.
-or-
Some of the Israel people had no experience with the war in Canaan. So Yahweh used these Canaan people to give them experience.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Judges 4:2

4:2a So the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor.

So Yahweh let Jabin, a king in Canaan who lived in the town of Hazor, defeat them.
-or-
Then Yahweh allowed Jabin king of Canaan, who ruled in the town of Hazor, to have control over them.

4:2b The commander of his forces was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim.

The leader of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth Haggoyim.
-or-
The general of his army was Sisera. He lived in the town of Harosheth Haggoyim.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Judges 5:10

5:10a You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets,

You (plur.) who ride on white donkeys, sitting on saddle blankets,
-or-
You ⌊rich people⌋ who ride on white donkeys, seated on ⌊beautiful⌋ padded saddles, think about this.

5:10b and you who travel the road,

and you who walk the paths:
-or-
And you ⌊poor people⌋ who walk on the roads,

5:10c ponder

consider
-or-
think about

SIL Translator’s Notes on Judges 6:11

6:11a Then the angel of the LORD came

Yahweh’s angel came
-or-
The angel of Yahweh appeared

6:11b and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite,

and sat under the oak tree in Ophrah town. The tree belonged to Joash, a man of Abiezer’s family.
-or-
in the town of Ophrah. He sat under an oak tree that belonged to Joash of the sub-clan of Abiezer.

6:11c where his son Gideon was threshing wheat

Gideon the son of Joash was threshing wheat
-or-
In that village, Gideon the son of Joash was beating his wheat

6:11d in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites.

in a grape press. He did that to hide his wheat from the people of Midian.
-or-
in ⌊the place where people usually⌋ pressed the grapes to make wine. He did it there in secret that so that the Midianites could not see him.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Judges 7:3

7:3a Now, therefore, proclaim in the hearing of the people:

Now tell the army,
-or-
So announce to your (sing.) soldiers that

7:3b ‘Whoever is fearful and trembling may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’”

‘Who among you is so afraid that they are shaking? Let them leave Mount Gilead ⌊and go home⌋ .’ ”
-or-
anyone who trembles with fear may go home. They should leave Mount Gilead.”

7:3c So twenty-two thousand of them turned back,

Twenty-two thousand of his soldiers departed,
-or-
Then twenty-two thousand (22,000) of the fighting men left,

7:3d but ten thousand remained.

and ten thousand remained.
-or-
but ten thousand (10,000) of them stayed.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Judges 8:10

8:10a Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army of about fifteen thousand men—

⌊The kings⌋ Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor town with their army of about fifteen thousand men.
-or-
King Zebah and King Zalmunna were in the town of Karkor with their soldiers. There were fifteen thousand (15,000) of them

8:10b all that were left of the armies of the people of the east.

That was all who remained of the army of the people from the east.
-or-
who remained from all the eastern armies.

8:10c A hundred and twenty thousand swordsmen had already fallen.

One hundred and twenty thousand soldiers had already been killed.
-or-
⌊The people of Israel⌋ had already killed a hundred and twenty thousand (120,000) of their soldiers.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Judges 9:7

Section 9:7-21

Jotham told a parable to the people of Shechem town

9:7a When this was reported to Jotham,

People told Jotham about this,
-or-
Jotham heard the news.

9:7b he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim, raised his voice, and cried out:

so he went to the top of Mount Gerizim. From there he cried out in a loud voice,
-or-
So he went up Mount Gerizim ⌊which is near Shechem⌋ and shouted, as loud as he could,

9:7c “Listen to me, O leaders of Shechem,

“Listen to me, people of Shechem town
-or-
“People of the town of Shechem, listen to ⌊this parable⌋ .

9:7d and may God listen to you.

if you want God to listen to you.
-or-
⌊If you listen to me,⌋ God will listen to you.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Judges 2023