And they took the two princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: And renders the Hebrew waw conjunction, which introduces the next event. Some languages may prefer to say “And they also took…,” but this may not be the best rendering here. Many versions leave this conjunction untranslated (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation). The pronoun they refers to the Ephraimite soldiers, which 8.3 makes clear. Took does not render the common Hebrew verb meaning “take,” but a word that means “capture” or “seize.” It is the same verb translated “seize” and “seized” in verse 7.24. Here Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version say “captured.” Oreb and Zeeb were Midianite leaders or princes. For the Hebrew word rendered princes (sar), see the comments on verse 4.2, where it is translated “commander.” This word does not refer to the sons of a king, but to rulers or officials, so here it is better rendered “leaders” (Contemporary English Version, New International Version), “commanders” (New Living Translation), or “chiefs” (Good News Translation). Oreb and Zeeb are both names of animals in Hebrew. Oreb designates a “raven,” a large black bird, and Zeeb a “wolf.” These could be their real names, but more likely, they were their war names, since both are aggressive. Contemporary English Version translates these names, which is quite effective: “These troops captured Raven and Wolf, the two Midianite leaders.”

They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the wine press of Zeeb: The pronoun they refers to the Ephraimites. Throughout the Old Testament, stories are told that explain why people or places have certain names, and this seems the case here. In all likelihood, Oreb was killed at a particular rock, and because people remembered this event, they named the place the rock of Oreb. In the same way, the wine press where Zeeb was killed became known as the wine press of Zeeb. The Hebrew word for wine press is different from the one in verse 6.11. There the word refers to the wine press in its entirety, but here the word refers to only the lower portion. Contemporary English Version gives a good rendering here: “They killed Raven at a large rock that has come to be known as Raven Rock, and they killed Wolf near a wine-pit that has come to be called Wolf Wine-Pit.” The location of these landmarks is unknown today.

As they pursued Midian is literally “and they pursued to Midian.” The Hebrew waw conjunction (“and”) introduces the next step in a series of actions. Though some versions omit it, a connector such as “Then” would be appropriate. Many scholars think the Hebrew text is incorrect here. The Septuagint and the Syriac change the Hebrew preposition for “to” into the Hebrew object marker, a change involving only one letter. This change leads to a more comprehensible text that reads “and they pursued Midian.” Like Revised Standard Version, most other versions follow this interpretation. Good News Translation, for example, says “They continued to pursue the Midianites.”

And they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon is literally “and the heads of Oreb and Zeeb, they brought to Gideon.” The Hebrew waw conjunction rendered and again introduces the next action in a series, but several versions omit it here. The Ephraimites brought the heads of these commanders to Gideon as proof that they had died. Obviously there is a step missing here, since the Ephraimites would have had to cut off their heads before transporting them to Gideon. In some languages it would be better to say “As for Oreb and Zeeb, they cut off their heads and carried them to Gideon.”

Beyond the Jordan: This phrase explains where Gideon was. It could mean that Gideon was on the other side of the Jordan River from the storyteller, but most often this phrase refers to the eastern side of that river (so Good News Translation; see the comments on verse 5.17). This means that Gideon had crossed the river with his troops in pursuit of the fleeing Midianites.

Translation models for this verse are:

• They captured the two Midianite commanders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb by a rock later called “Oreb’s Rock,” and they killed Zeeb near a wine press later named “Zeeb’s Wine Press.” And then they continued to chase the Midianites. They brought the heads of these two enemy leaders to Gideon, who was on the east side of the Jordan River.

• The Ephraimite soldiers captured Oreb and Zeeb, the two Midianite leaders, and then they killed them. Oreb was killed at a rock later known as “Rock of Oreb,” and Zeeb, at a wine press later named “Wine Press of Zeeb.” Then the Ephraimites kept on chasing the Midianites, but they carried the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon who was across the Jordan River.

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 .