Now Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem: Now renders the Hebrew waw conjunction, which is good way to begin this new episode. We might also say “One day” (New Living Translation). The full name Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal is another indication a new episode is beginning. Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version use the name “Gideon” instead of Jerubbaal, but Contemporary English Version has a footnote explaining that Jerubbaal is in the Hebrew text. This alternative name for Gideon (verse 6.32) is used throughout this episode seemingly to bring to the forefront the name “Baal,” the god the Israelites have chosen over Yahweh (verse 8.33). Because of these various wordplays in Hebrew, it seems appropriate to use the name Jerubbaal in the text. Also, by using the name Jerubbaal, the narrator may be distancing Gideon (who is remembered for the good things he did [verse 8.35]) from his son Abimelech, who did much evil. Translators will have to decide whether to follow Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version who use “Gideon” to make the text easier for readers to understand, or to follow the Hebrew text more closely. For Shechem see verse 8.31.

To his mother’s kinsmen is literally “to his mother’s brothers.” The choice of this expression may be intentional to remind the audience that Abimelech’s mother was a concubine, and not a legal wife. The sense of the Hebrew word for “brothers” (ʾach) is very wide and could include not just Abimelech’s maternal uncles, but all his male relatives on his mother’s side of the family. However, since the next clause refers to the extended family, it is probably better to be more specific here. Many languages have a special word to designate maternal uncles. If not, “his mother’s brothers” is very clear, or we might say “his uncles on his mother’s side.” In matrilineal societies maternal uncles are as important, or sometimes even more important, than the father. Since Abimelech was the son of a concubine, these men would play a very important role in his life.

And said to them and to the whole clan of his mother’s family is literally “and he spoke to them and to all the clan/family of the father of his mother, saying.” In Hebrew there are two speech verbs to introduce the quote that follows, but translators can use one or two expressions, as long as they are natural in the target language. Here Abimelech spoke not only to his mother’s brothers, but to the whole clan of his mother’s family, that is, the rest of the relatives on his mother’s side. In Western cultures the details of this phrase in Hebrew may not seem relevant, but in many cultures around the world, they are very important. If the translation is destined for such a culture, then these details should be carefully provided. New Jerusalem Bible says “the whole clan of his maternal grandfather’s family,” which renders the text precisely and can be a good model for some languages. The Hebrew word for clan is mishpachah, which is similar to the word for “judges” (shofetim). This could be a play on words, adding a bit of irony, since Abimelech’s actions show he is not a true hero or “judge.” Abimelech went to his mother’s family instead of his father’s relatives. This fact may indicate conflict, often known to exist in polygamous families. Abimelech probably felt more kinship with his mother’s side than his father’s, and was certainly jealous of the brothers who lived in his father’s house. This whole clause may be rendered “and he spoke to them and all the other male relatives on his mother’s side. He said….”

Translation models for this verse are:

• One day Gideon’s son Abimelech went back home to Shechem and spoke with his maternal uncles and all the other relatives on his mother’s side. He said….

• Now Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal (meaning “let Baal defend himself”) went to Shechem and said to his maternal uncles and the rest of his mother’s clan….

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 .