The general statement in verse 1.9 is now followed by details of an attack on Hebron, a town that plays an important role throughout the Old Testament. There is another break in the Hebrew text here, which leads some versions (for example, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) to begin a new paragraph. And renders the Hebrew waw conjunction, which many versions omit, probably because here it does not introduce the next event, but gives details of what precedes.

Judah went against the Canaanites: Went renders the general Hebrew verb meaning “go,” rather than the ones for “going up” and “going down.” However, combined with the preposition against, it has the meaning “attack” or “engage in a battle with.” The same verb appears in verse 1.11. For the Canaanites, see verse 1.1.

Who dwelt in Hebron: For dwelt see verse 1.9. Hebron is a town in the central mountain region, which eventually became part of Judah’s territory. It is mentioned again in verse 1.20 and later in the Samson story (verse 16.3). It is here King David was later crowned and where he set up his capital before moving to Jerusalem (verse 2 Sam 2.1-4; verse 5.5).

(Now the name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-arba): The narrator provides this historical note, which Revised Standard Version and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh put in parentheses. New Jerusalem Bible separates this material off by long dashes. Contemporary English Version chooses to put this information at the end of the verse: “At that time, Hebron was called Kiriath-Arba.” Translators can decide how to best present this background material. Revised Standard Version translates the Hebrew waw conjunction here as Now, which is a good transition.

The name of Hebron was formerly … reflects the Hebrew structure and many languages will be able to follow this model. However, several versions prefer to shorten the independent sentence and say “Hebron was formerly called….” Good News Translation says Hebron “used to be called….” Formerly is literally “to faces,” which New Jerusalem Bible renders as “in olden days.”

Kiriath-arba or “town of Arba” was the former name of Hebron. According to verse 15.13, “Arba” is the name of Anak’s father, that is, the ancestor of the people known as “Anakim,” who were so tall they were sometimes called “giants.” Thus the town had been named after the “giants” who inhabited it. To the Israelites, capturing such a town represented a great victory, which may be one of the reasons this town is mentioned here.

And they defeated Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai: The initial Hebrew waw conjunction rendered and introduces the results of the attack. The pronoun they refers to the people of Judah, also accompanied by the soldiers from the tribe of Simeon, though not overtly mentioned. For defeated see verse 1.4.

Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai are three men who were descendants of Anak (see verse 1.20, and verse 15.14), and here their names represent their descendants. Thus Good News Translation makes explicit “the clans of…” (similarly Contemporary English Version). Revised Standard Version respects the Hebrew structure by translating and each time there is a waw conjunction. However, in many languages commas may replace some of the conjunctions. For example, we might say “Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.”

Translation examples for this verse are:

• They attacked the Canaanites who lived in the town of Hebron, formerly known as “the town of Arba”* and they defeated the clans of Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai.
* Arba was the name of Anak’s father, and Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai were Anak’s sons. The people of Anak or the “Anakim” were called “giants” because they were so tall (Num 13.33).

• They fought the Canaanites who lived in Hebron. This town was formerly called Kiriath-arba. There they defeated the descendants of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.

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 .