And Gaal went out at the head of the men of Shechem: Gaal has no choice but to comply with Zebul’s challenge to fight with Abimelech. The Hebrew waw conjunction rendered And may be translated “So” (New Revised Standard Version, New International Version) to introduce Gaal’s response. Went out renders the same Hebrew verb translated “Go out” in verse 9.38. At the head of is literally “before the face of.” Gaal is in front of the men of Shechem (literally “the baʿal [lords] of Shechem”; see comments on verse 9.26). The use of this phrase marks the end of an inclusio for this episode, so it should be rendered the same as in verse 9.26, for example, “So Gaal led out the leaders of Shechem.” In some languages it may be necessary to add a step that is implied in the text by saying “So Gaal called together the leaders of Shechem and led them into battle.”

And fought with Abimelech: See verse 9.38.

A translation model for this verse is:

• So Gaal headed up the leaders of Shechem and led them out to battle against Abimelech and his army.

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 .