{"slug":"LIT1700Judges","id":"ethiopic:betmas:LIT1700Judges","title":"Book of Judges","author":"Anonymous","genre":"other","date":"","tradition":"ethiopic","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T04:52:58Z","cost_usd":0.057787},"source":{"registry_id":"ethiopic:betmas:LIT1700Judges","work_id":"LIT1700Judges","edition":"betmas","language":"","license":"CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"},"stats":{"passages":115,"english_words":19518,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":653,"commentary_kinds":9,"derived_notes":53,"ambiguities":215,"work_notes":5,"external_links":3,"timeline":5},"summary":{"work":"LIT1700Judges","abstract":"The Ethiopic Book of Judges is a Geʿez translation from the Septuagint, including deuterocanonical additions, and forms part of the broader Octateuch in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo tradition. Its translation is traditionally attributed to the Aksumite period (5th–7th centuries), but the earliest surviving manuscripts date only from the 14th century, leaving the dating uncertain. The text survives in multiple manuscript witnesses, such as those at the Bodleian and British Libraries, indicating a broad manuscript tradition. It is read liturgically, especially during the season of the Apostles. This edition (betmas:LIT1700Judges) lacks a critical apparatus, so textual fluidity across witnesses is not documented.","historical_context":"The Geʿez translation of Judges is traditionally assigned to the Aksumite period (5th–7th centuries), when the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church received biblical books from Greek (Septuagint) sources. However, the earliest extant manuscripts date only from the 14th century, making the precise date and circumstances of the translation uncertain. The text belongs to the Ethiopic Octateuch, the first eight books of the Bible, and is used liturgically, especially during the season of the Apostles. The translation reflects the Septuagintal tradition, as shown by its inclusion of deuterocanonical additions and textual affinities with Greek witnesses. Multiple manuscript witnesses (e.g., Bodleian Library, British Library) attest to a broad transmission history, but no critical edition collating variant readings exists for this work.","significance":"The Ethiopic Judges is significant as a witness to the Septuagintal textual tradition in the Horn of Africa and to the liturgical and canonical practices of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Its inclusion of deuterocanonical material and its place in the Octateuch highlight the distinct biblical canon of Ethiopian Christianity. The work also illustrates the challenges of dating and textual criticism in the Ethiopic manuscript tradition.","timeline":[{"date":"5th–7th centuries","event":"Traditional attribution of the Geʿez translation of Judges to the Aksumite period."},{"date":"14th century","event":"Earliest extant manuscripts of the Ethiopic Judges date from this period."},{"date":"Undated","event":"Manuscript witnesses at the Bodleian Library and British Library produced."},{"date":"Undated","event":"Judges incorporated into the Ethiopic Octateuch and liturgical use during the season of the Apostles."},{"date":"Undated","event":"Edition betmas:LIT1700Judges produced without critical apparatus."}],"relations":[{"work":"Septuagint (Greek Old Testament)","relation":"source text for the Geʿez translation","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Ethiopic Octateuch","relation":"part of the same manuscript tradition and canonical collection","key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"},{"work":"Masoretic Hebrew Judges","relation":"contrasting textual tradition; Ethiopic follows Septuagint, not Masoretic","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Joshua (Ethiopic)","relation":"preceding book in the Octateuch, with narrative continuity","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"hollis:alma990022646510203941","label":"Bodleian Library manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022646510203941","reason":"One of the manuscript witnesses for the Ethiopic Judges."},{"key":"hollis:alma990022651900203941","label":"British Library manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022651900203941","reason":"Another manuscript witness for the Ethiopic Judges."},{"key":"wikipedia:Book of Judges","label":"Wikipedia article on the Book of Judges","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Judges","reason":"General background on the biblical book."}],"cautions":["The dating of the Geʿez translation to the Aksumite period is traditional and not supported by manuscript evidence; the earliest extant manuscripts are from the 14th century.","The edition betmas:LIT1700Judges lacks a critical apparatus, so textual fluidity across manuscript witnesses is not documented.","The precise date and place of the translation remain uncertain due to the absence of early manuscripts."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000468,"generated":"2026-11-15T02:03:49Z"},"checks":{"work":"LIT1700Judges","status":"warn","blocking":[],"warnings":[{"code":"commentary-length","i":"28"}],"stats":{"passages":115,"translated":115,"commentary_passages":115,"commentary_units":653,"english_words":19518,"source_letters":48110,"commentary_kinds":9},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez text of Judges in betmas:LIT1700Judges is a translation from the Septuagint, not the Masoretic Hebrew, as shown by its inclusion of the deuterocanonical additions and its textual affinities with the Greek tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"},{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic Judges survives in multiple manuscript witnesses, including those at the Bodleian Library (hollis:alma990022646510203941) and the British Library (hollis:alma990022651900203941), indicating a broad manuscript tradition.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990022646510203941","label":"The text of the Ethiopic version of the Octateuch, with special reference to the age and value of the Haverford manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022646510203941"},{"key":"hollis:alma990022651900203941","label":"The legend of the Queen of Sheba in the tradition of Axum","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022651900203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"In the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo tradition, Judges is part of the broader Octateuch (the first eight books of the Bible) and is read liturgically, especially during the season of the Apostles.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez translation of Judges is traditionally attributed to the Aksumite period (5th–7th centuries), but the earliest extant manuscripts date only from the 14th century, leaving the dating uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT1700Judges","label":"source edition: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"This edition (betmas:LIT1700Judges) does not provide a critical apparatus or collation of variant readings from the multiple manuscript witnesses, so textual fluidity is not documented.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: other in Geʿez; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 115 narrative."},{"kind":"caution","severity":"caution","text":"53 passage(s) are fragmentary in the source; the English bridges each break and says so in the note."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: betmas — CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":115},"term_index":[],"citations":{"betmas:LIT1700Judges":{"label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"},"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch":{"label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"},"hollis:alma990022646510203941":{"label":"The text of the Ethiopic version of the Octateuch, with special reference to the age and value of the Haverford manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022646510203941"},"hollis:alma990022651900203941":{"label":"The legend of the Queen of Sheba in the tradition of Axum","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022651900203941"},"hollis:alma990024356250203941":{"label":"The Octateuch in Ethiopic according to the text of the Paris Codex, with the variants of five other manuscripts","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990024356250203941"},"hollis:alma99153733238703941":{"label":"Octateuch in Ethiopic: According to the Text of the Paris Codex, With the Variants of Five Other Manuscripts","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/99153733238703941"},"hollis:alma99156706365703941":{"label":"Congress volume Aberdeen 2019","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/99156706365703941"},"ed:LIT1700Judges":{"label":"source edition: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"Judices 1\n\n1\nወኮነ ፡ እምድኅረ ፡ ሞተ ፡ ኢየሱስ ፡ ወተስእሉ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ [ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡] እንዘ ፡ ይብሉ ፡ መኑ\n፡ የዐርግ ፡ ለነ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ከናኔዎን ፡ መልአክ ፡ ዘይትቃተሎሙ ፡ ለነ ።\n\nወይቤሎ[ሙ] ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ የዐርግ ፡ ወናሁ ፡ አግባእክዋ ፡ ለምድር ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴሁ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ለስምዖን ፡ እኁሁ ፡ ዕረግ ፡ ምስሌየ ፡ በውስተ ፡ መክፈልትየ ፡ ወንትቃተሎሙ ፡ ለከናአን ፡ ወአሐውር\n፡ አነኒ ፡ ምስሌከ ፡ በውስተ ፡ መክፈልትከ ፡ ወሖረ ፡ ስምዖን ፡ ምስሌሁ ።\n\nወዐርገ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ወአግብኦሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለከናኔዎን ፡ ወለፌሬዜዎን ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴሁ ፡ ወቀተሎሙ ፡ በቤዜቅ ፡\nእልፈ ፡ ብእሴ ።\n\nወረከብዎ ፡ ለአዶኒቤዜቅ ፡ ወተቃተልዎ ፡ ወቀተልዎሙ ፡ ለከናኔዎን ፡ ወለፌሬዜዎን ።\n\nወጐየ ፡ አዶኒቤዜቅ ፡ ወዴገንዎ ፡ ወተለውዎ ፡ ወአኀዝዎ ፡ ወመተሩ ፡ አርእስተ ፡ እደዊሁ ፡ ወእገሪሁ ።","english":"Judges 1\n\n1\nAnd it came to pass after the death of Joshua, and the children of Israel asked of the Lord, saying, “Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites, the king who will fight them for us?”\n\nAnd the Lord said to them, “Judah shall go up, and behold, I have given the land into his hand.”\n\nAnd Judah said to Simeon, his brother, “Go up with me into my portion, and we will fight the Canaanites, and I will also go with you into your portion.” And Simeon went with him.\n\nAnd Judah went up, and the Lord delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into his hand, and he killed them at Bezek, ten thousand men.\n\nAnd they found Adoni-bezek, and they fought him, and they killed the Canaanites and the Perizzites.\n\nAnd Adoni-bezek fled, and they pursued him, and they captured him, and they seized him, and they cut off the thumbs of his hands and his feet.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Judices 1","severity":"info","text":"The passage opens Judges 1 with a narrative formula, following the death of Joshua, establishing a chronological and thematic link to the preceding book.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"መልአክ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term መልአክ (malʾak) here means 'king' (not 'angel'), consistent with its use for Canaanite rulers in this context.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Judges 1:1-7","severity":"info","text":"This passage closely parallels the biblical Judges 1:1-7, including the query to the Lord, Judah's role, and the defeat of Adoni-bezek.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic version of Judges is part of the broader Octateuch tradition, transmitted in Geʿez from earlier sources, likely via the Septuagint.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This manuscript (betmas) is held in multiple Hollis records, indicating its preservation in institutional collections, though specific provenance is not detailed here.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990022646510203941","label":"The text of the Ethiopic version of the Octateuch, with special reference to the age and value of the Haverford manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022646510203941"},{"key":"hollis:alma990022651900203941","label":"The legend of the Queen of Sheba in the tradition of Axum","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022651900203941"},{"key":"hollis:alma990024356250203941","label":"The Octateuch in Ethiopic according to the text of the Paris Codex, with the variants of five other manuscripts","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990024356250203941"},{"key":"hollis:alma99153733238703941","label":"Octateuch in Ethiopic: According to the Text of the Paris Codex, With the Variants of Five Other Manuscripts","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/99153733238703941"},{"key":"hollis:alma99156706365703941","label":"Congress volume Aberdeen 2019","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/99156706365703941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text omits the biblical detail that Adoni-bezek's mutilation was retributive; the narrative here is more terse."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ወይቤሎሙ ፡ አዶኒቤዜቅ ፡ ዘ፸ነገሥት ፡ አርእስተ ፡ እደዊሆሙ ፡ ወእገሪሆሙ ፡ ምቱር ፡ ሀለወ ፡ አስተጋብኡ ፡ በታሕተ ፡\nማእድየ ፡ ወበከመ ፡ ገበርኩ ፡ ከማሁ ፡ ፈደየኒ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወወሰድዎ ፡ ኢየሩሳሌም ፡ ወሞተ ፡ በህየ ።\n\nወተቃተሉ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ኢየሩሳሌም ፡ ወአስተግብእዋ ፡ ወቀተልዋ ፡ በአፈ ፡ ኀፂን ፡ ወአውዐዩ ፡ ሀገራ ፡\nበእሳት ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ ወረዱ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ይትቃተልዎሙ ፡ ለከናኔዎን ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አድባር ።\n\nወሖረ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ከናኔዎን ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኬብሮን ፡ ወወፅኡ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ኬብሮን ፡ ተቀበልዎሙ ፡\nወስማ ፡ ለኬብሮን ፡ ትካት ፡ ቀሪየርቦቀሴፌር ፡ ወቀተልዎሙ ፡ ለሴሲ ፡ ወለአኪመም ፡ ወለተሚ ፡ ትውልደ ፡ ኤነቅ ።\n\nወሖሩ ፡ እምህየ ፡ ኀበ ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ዳቢር ፡ ወስማ ፡ ለዳቢር ፡ ትካት ፡ ሀገረ ፡ መጽሐፍ ።\n\nወይቤ ፡ ካሌብ ፡ ዘቀተላ ፡ ለሀገረ ፡ መጽሐፍ ፡ ወአስተጋብኣ ፡ እሁቦ ፡ አስካ ፡ ወለትየ ፡ ትኩኖ ፡ ብእሲተ ።","english":"And he said to them, Adonibezek: “Seventy kings, the thumbs of their hands and their great toes, were cut off; they gathered under my table. And as I have done, so has the Lord requited me.” And they brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.\n\nAnd the children of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it and killed it with the edge of the sword, and they set its land on fire.\n\nAnd after that, the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who dwell in the mountains.\n\nAnd Judah went against the Canaanites who dwell in Hebron, and the men of Hebron came out to receive them; and the name of Hebron was formerly Kiryath-Arbaq-Sepher. And they killed Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the descendants of Anaq.\n\nAnd they went from there to those who dwell in Debir, and the name of Debir was formerly the City of the Book.\n\nAnd Caleb said, “He who kills and captures the City of the Book, I will give him my daughter as a wife.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"አዶኒቤዜቅ","severity":"info","text":"Adonibezek is a figure from Judges 1:5–7, whose name means 'lord of Bezek.' The episode of the seventy kings with severed thumbs and toes is unique to this tradition and echoes the lex talionis motif.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ቀሪየርቦቀሴፌር","severity":"info","text":"The toponym ቀሪየርቦቀሴፌር (Qəryarboqəsefer) is a Geʿez rendering of Hebrew Qiryat Arba‘ (Kirjath-Arba) and Sopher (Sepher), meaning 'City of Four' and 'Book,' respectively. The text conflates two distinct biblical sites.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤሎሙ ፡ አዶኒቤዜቅ","severity":"info","text":"This passage closely follows Judges 1:5–12, including the account of Adonibezek, the conquest of Jerusalem, and the battles at Hebron and Debir. The Geʿez version preserves the biblical narrative with minor expansions.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured as a series of military campaigns: first against Jerusalem, then the mountain Canaanites, then Hebron, then Debir. Each episode is introduced by a temporal or directional marker (እምዝ, ወሖረ, ወሖሩ).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ኬብሮን","severity":"info","text":"The killing of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, descendants of Anaq, parallels Joshua 15:14 and Judges 1:10. The Geʿez text adds the detail that Hebron was formerly called Kiryath-Arbaq-Sepher, conflating two distinct toponyms.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"ሀገረ ፡ መጽሐፍ","severity":"info","text":"The 'City of the Book' (ሀገረ መጽሐፍ) is a Geʿez rendering of Debir, interpreted as a place associated with writing or scripture. This reflects an exegetical tradition linking the name to the Hebrew 'daber' (speak) or 'sepher' (book).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'killed it with the edge of the sword' (ቀተልዋ በአፈ ኀፂን) may refer to the city of Jerusalem personified, or to its inhabitants. The Geʿez feminine suffix -ዋ could apply to either.","The conflation of Kiryath-Arba and Sepher into one toponym is unusual and may reflect a scribal harmonization or a misunderstanding of the biblical sources."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"ወአስተጋብኣ ፡ ጎቶኒየል ፡ ወልደ ፡ ቄኔዝ ፡ እኁሁ ፡ ለካሌብ ፡ ዘይንእስ ፡ ወወሀቦ ፡ አስካ ፡ ወለቶ ፡ ትኩኖ ፡\nብእሲቶ ።\n\nወሶበ ፡ ለሐዊራ ፡ አምከራ ፡ ጎቶኒየል ፡ ትስአሎ ፡ ለአቡሃ ፡ ይጸግዋ ፡ ዐጸደ ፡ ወፍር ፡ ወአንጐርጐረት ፡ በዲበ ፡\nአድግ ፡ ወጸርሐት ፡ በላዕለ ፡ አድግ ፡ ወትቤ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ብሔረ ፡ አዜብ ፡ ፈኖከኒ ፡ ወይቤላ ፡ ካሌብ ፡ ምንተ ፡ ኮንኪ ።\n\nወትቤሎ ፡ አስካ ፡ ሀበኒ ፡ በረከተ ፡ እስመ ፡ ብሔረ ፡ አዜብ ፡ ፈኖከኒ ፡ ወሀበኒ ፡ ቤዛ ፡ ማይ ፡ ወወሀባ ፡ ካሌብ\n፡ በከመ ፡ ትፈቱ ፡ በልባ ፡ ቤዛ ፡ ሕሙም ፡ ወቤዛ ፡ ትኩዝ ።\n\nወደቂቀ ፡ ዮባብ ፡ ቀኔያዊ ፡ ሐሙሁ ፡ ለሙሴ ፡ ዐርጉ ፡ እምነ ፡ ሀገረ ፡ ፊንቆን ፡ ኀበ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ውስተ ፡\nሐቅለ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ዘመንገለ ፡ አዜብ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሙራደ ፡ አረድ ፡ ወሖረ ፡ ወነበረ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ሕዝብ ።\n\nወሖረ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ስምዖን ፡ [እኁሁ ፡] ወቀተልዎሙ ፡ ለከናኔዎን ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሴፍር ፡\nወአሕረምዋ ፡ ወአጥፍእዋ ።","english":"And Othniel, son of Kenaz, the younger brother of Caleb, gathered together, and he gave him Aksa, his daughter, as his wife.\n\nAnd when they went to the land of the south, Othniel asked her father to give him a field of springs; and she dismounted from the donkey and cried out from upon the donkey, and she said, “In the land of the south you sent me.” And Caleb said to her, “What has happened to you?”\n\nAnd she said to him, “Aksa, give me a blessing, for you sent me to the land of the south; give me a place of water.” And Caleb gave her, as her heart desired, a place of hot water and a place of cold water.\n\nAnd the sons of Jobab the Kenite, the father-in-law of Moses, went up from the city of Pincon to the sons of Judah in the field of Judah on the side of the south, in the desert of Arad; and they went and dwelt with the people.\n\nAnd Judah went with Simeon, his brother, and they killed the Canaanites who dwelt in Sepher; and they destroyed it and annihilated it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"አስተጋብኣ","severity":"info","text":"The verb 'ashtagabba'a' (አስተጋብኣ) means 'gathered together' or 'assembled', here introducing Othniel's action of gathering people or forces, a common narrative cue in the Ethiopic Judges.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወልደ ፡ ቄኔዝ","severity":"info","text":"Othniel son of Kenaz is a figure from the biblical Book of Judges (Judg 1:13; 3:9-11), where he is the first judge of Israel. The Ethiopic text follows the biblical narrative closely.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ቤዛ ፡ ሕሙም ፡ ወቤዛ ፡ ትኩዝ","severity":"info","text":"The request for 'a place of hot water and a place of cold water' likely refers to springs or wells, reflecting the arid southern landscape (Negev) and the practical need for water sources in the biblical account (Judg 1:15).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ደቂቀ ፡ ዮባብ ፡ ቀኔያዊ","severity":"info","text":"The mention of 'sons of Jobab the Kenite' parallels the biblical tradition of the Kenites as a clan associated with Moses (Judg 1:16; 4:11). Jobab is identified as Moses' father-in-law in some traditions, though the Bible names Jethro.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወሖረ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ስምዖን","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from Othniel's marriage and land grant to a military campaign by Judah and Simeon against the Canaanites in Sepher, marking a new narrative episode typical of the Ethiopic Judges' episodic structure.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"አስካ ፡ ወለቶ ፡ ትኩኖ ፡ ብእሲቶ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'Aksa, his daughter, as his wife' is ambiguous: the Geʿez could be read as 'he gave him Aksa, his daughter, as his wife' or 'he gave him Aksa, his daughter, to be his wife'. The English draft adopts the former, but the syntax allows either.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Aksa' (አስካ) is unclear: it may be a proper name or a title; the text treats it as a name.","The location 'Pincon' (ፊንቆን) is not attested in the biblical text; it may be a corruption or a local Ethiopic toponym.","The phrase 'in the field of Judah on the side of the south' (ውስተ ፡ ሐቅለ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ዘመንገለ ፡ አዜብ) is geographically vague, possibly referring to the Negev region."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"ወኢተወርሳ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ለጋዛን ፡ ወለደወላ ፡ ወአስቃሎና ፡ ወደወላ ፡ ወአዛጦን ፡ ወደወላ ፡ ወጺኦታቲሃ ።\n\nወሀለወ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ምስለ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ወተወርሰ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ወስእነ ፡ ተወርሶቶሙ ፡ ለእለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡\nቈላት ፡ እስመ ፡ ሬከብ ፡ ፈለጣ ።\n\nወወሀብዎ ፡ ለካሌብ ፡ ኬብሮን ፡ በከመ ፡ ይቤ ፡ ሙሴ ፡ ወተወርሰ ፡ እምህየ ፡ አህጉረ ፡ ወአሰሰሎሙ ፡ እምህየ ፡\nለሠለስቱ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ኤናቅ ።\n\nወለኢየቡሴዎን ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኢየሩሳሌም ፡ ኢያሰሰልዎሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ ወነበሩ ፡ ኢየቡሴዎን ፡\nምስለ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ እስከ ፡ ዛቲ ፡ ዕለት ።\n\nወዐርጉ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዮሴፍሰ ፡ እሙንቱኒ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤቴል ፤\n\nወስማ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ትካት ፡ ሉዛ ።\n\nወርእዩ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ መዓቅብ ፡ ብእሴ ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይወፅእ ፡ እምነ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ወአኀዝዎ ፡ ወይቤልዎ ፡ አርእየነ ፡ ምብዋኣ\n፡ ለሀገር ፡ ወንገብር ፡ ምስሌከ ፡ ምሕረተ ።","english":"And he gave as an inheritance to Judah: Gaza, and its villages, and Ashkelon, and its villages, and Azotus, and its villages, and its territories.\n\nAnd the Lord was with Judah, and he inherited the mountain and the plain, and he gave them as an inheritance to those who dwell in the lowlands, because of the river Rekeb.\n\nAnd they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses said, and he inherited from there the cities, and he assigned from there to the three sons of Enak.\n\nAnd for the Jebusites, who dwell in Jerusalem, he assigned to them the sons of Benjamin, and the Jebusites dwelt with the sons of Benjamin until this day.\n\nAnd the sons of Joseph also went up into Bethel.\n\nAnd the name of that city was Luz.\n\nAnd they saw a man of the cave coming out of the city, and they seized him and said to him, “Show us the entrance to the city, and we will do mercy with you.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The list of cities (Gaza, Ashkelon, Azotus) reflects the Philistine pentapolis, though the passage assigns them to Judah, likely anachronistic for the Judges period.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ሬከብ ፈለጣ","severity":"info","text":"The 'river Rekeb' is not in the Masoretic text of Judges; it may echo a lost tradition or a conflation with the Brook of Egypt (Wadi el-Arish).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ኤናቅ","severity":"info","text":"The 'sons of Enak' (Anakim) are giants in the Hebrew Bible, associated with Hebron; their mention here aligns with Joshua 15:13-14.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The assignment of Jebusites to dwell with Benjamin until 'this day' parallels the account in Judges 1:21, where Benjamin fails to dislodge them.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from territorial allotments to a narrative episode (the man of the cave), typical of the Ethiopic compilation's blending of geographic and anecdotal material.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ምሕረተ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'do mercy with you' is ambiguous: it may mean 'show kindness' or, given the context of coercion, be a euphemism for sparing the man's life.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The river Rekeb is unidentified; possibly a corruption or a local toponym.","The 'man of the cave' is not named; his identity and the city's entrance remain unclear."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"ወአርአዮሙ ፡ እንተ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ይበውእዋ ፡ ለሀገር ፡ ወቀተልዋ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡ ሀገር ፡ በአፈ ፡ ኀፂን ፡ ወለዝክቱሰ ፡\nብእሲ ፡ ወለአዝማዲሁ ፡ አግዐዝዎሙ ።\n\nወአተወ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድረ ፡ ኬጤዎን ፡ ወነደቀ ፡ በህየ ፡ ሀገረ ፡ ወሰመየ ፡ ስማ ፡ ሉዛ ፡ ወውእቱ\n፡ ኮነ ፡ ስማ ፡ እስከ ፡ ዮም ።\n\nወኢተወርሰ ፡ ምናሴ ፡ ቤተሳን ፡ እንተ ፡ ሀገረ ፡ ሶቂቶን ፡ ወኢአዋልዲሃ ፡ ወኢጺኦታቲሃ ፡ ወኢኤቅዳአድ ፡ ወኢአዋልዲሃ\n፡ ወኢእለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ዶር ፡ ወኢአዋልዲሃ ፡ ወኢእለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ [ውስተ] ፡ በለዓም ፡ ወኢአዋልዲ[ሃ] ፡ ወኢእለ\n፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ መጌዶን ፡ ወኢአዋልዲሃ ፡ ወኢእለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ [ውስተ ፡] የብለዓም ፡ ወኢአዋልዲሃ ፡ ወአኀዙ ፡\nከናአን ፡ ይንበሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ምድር ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ጸንዑ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ መጸብሔ ፡ ረሰይዎሙ ፡ ለከናአን ፡ ወአጥፍኦሰ ፡ ኢያጥፍእዎሙ ።","english":"And he showed them where the city would be entered, and he destroyed that city with the mouth of a sword, and he subjugated the man of Zekṭus and his relatives.\n\nAnd that man came into the land of Ketteyon, and he built a city there, and he named it Luza, and that name remains until today.\n\nAnd Manasseh did not inherit Beth-Shean, which is the city of Soqiton, nor its villages, nor its fortresses, nor En-Gannim, nor its villages, nor those who dwell in Dor, nor its villages, nor those who dwell in Balaam, nor its villages, nor those who dwell in Megiddo, nor its villages, nor those who dwell in Yibleam, nor its villages; and the Canaanites took possession and dwelt in that land.\n\nThen, when the Israelites grew strong, they gave tribute to the Canaanites, and they destroyed them, but they did not utterly destroy them.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ሉዛ","severity":"info","text":"The toponym Luza (ሉዛ) is a Geʿez rendering of the Hebrew לֻז (Luz), a place name associated with Bethel in the Hebrew Bible (Gen 28:19; 35:6; 48:3; Josh 16:2; 18:13; Judg 1:22–26). The note that the name 'remains until today' suggests an aetiological interest in the survival of the pre-Israelite name.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ቤተሳን","severity":"info","text":"The list of places not inherited by Manasseh (Beth-Shean, En-Gannim, Dor, Megiddo, Yibleam) closely parallels the list of unconquered Canaanite cities in Judg 1:27. The Geʿez text adds Soqiton (ሶቂቶን) as an alternative name for Beth-Shean, a detail not found in the Masoretic tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ከናአን","severity":"info","text":"The passage reflects the Ethiopic tradition that the Canaanites (ከናአን) were not entirely annihilated but were subjugated and made tributary. This aligns with the broader narrative in Judg 1 that the Israelite conquest was incomplete, a theme that the Ethiopic version develops with additional topographical and genealogical details.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured as a series of negative inheritance statements ('Manasseh did not inherit …') followed by a summary of Canaanite occupation. This rhetorical pattern emphasizes the partial nature of the conquest and contrasts with the earlier positive inheritance of Judah and Caleb.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ሉዛ","severity":"info","text":"The note that the name Luza 'remains until today' is a characteristic feature of the Ethiopic Book of Judges, which often adds aetiological or antiquarian comments. This suggests the text was composed or redacted with an audience interested in the continuity of place-names from the biblical period.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the man of Zekṭus' (ዘክቱሰ) is unclear; the name does not appear in the Masoretic text of Judges and may be a corruption or a local tradition.","The phrase 'they destroyed them, but they did not utterly destroy them' (ኢያጥፍእዎሙ) is ambiguous: it may mean the Canaanites were subjugated but not exterminated, or that the Israelites failed to complete the destruction."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":"ወኤፍሬምኒ ፡ ኢያጥፍእዎሙ ፡ ለከናኔዎን ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ጋዜር ፡ ወነበሩ ፡ ከናኔዎን ፡ ማእከሎሙ ፡ ውስተ\n፡ ጋዜር ፡ ወኮንዎሙ ፡ መጸብሔ ።\n\nወዛቡሎንሂ ፡ ኢያጥፍእዎሙ ፡ ለእለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቄድሮን ፡ ወለእለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ዐማን ፡ ወነበሩ ፡\nከናኔዎን ፡ ማእከሎሙ ፡ ወኮንዎሙ ፡ መጸብሔ ።\n\nወአሴርሂ ፡ ኢያጥፍእዎሙ ፡ ለእለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አኮ ፡ ወኮንዎሙ ፡ መጸብሔ ፡ ወእለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ደር\n፡ ወእለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሲዶና ፡ ወእለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ዳላፍ ፡ ወአስኮድ ፡ ወኬድያ ፡ ወአፌቅ ፡ ወሮዖብ ።\n\nወነበረ ፡ አሴር ፡ ማእከለ ፡ ከናኔዎን ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ምድር ፡ እስመ ፡ ስእኑ ፡ አጥፍኦቶሙ ።\n\nወንፍታሌምሂ ፡ ኢያጥፍእዎሙ ፡ ለእለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤ[ተ ፡] ሳሚስ ፡ ወኢእለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤቴኔት ፡\nወነበሩ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ማእከሎሙ ፡ ለከናኔዎን ፡ እለ ፡ ሀለዉ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ምድር ፡ ወኮንዎሙ ፡ መጾብሔ ፡ እለ ፡\nይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ሳሚስ ፡ ወውስተ ፡ ቤቴኔክ ።","english":"And Ephraim also destroyed the Canaanites who dwelt in Gazer, and the Canaanites dwelt among them in Gazer, and they made them tributaries.\n\nAnd Zebulun also destroyed those who dwelt in Qedron and those who dwelt in ʿAman, and the Canaanites dwelt among them, and they made them tributaries.\n\nAnd Asher also destroyed those who dwelt in Ako, and they made them tributaries; and those who dwelt in Dor, and those who dwelt in Sidona, and those who dwelt in Dalaf, and Asqod, and Kedya, and Afeq, and Roʿob.\n\nAnd Asher dwelt among the Canaanites who dwelt in that land, for they did not destroy them.\n\nAnd Naphtali also destroyed those who dwelt in Bet Samis and those who dwelt in Betenet, and Israel dwelt among the Canaanites who were in that land, and they made tributaries those who dwelt in Bet Samis and in Betenek.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage follows a repetitive formula: each tribe (Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali) destroys or subjugates Canaanite populations in specific locations, with variations in the list of cities and the outcome for Asher.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"መጸብሔ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term መጸብሔ (mäṣäbḥe) is translated as 'tributaries' in the English draft. It denotes a subordinate status involving payment of tribute, not necessarily enslavement.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The cities named (Gazer, Qedron, ʿAman, Ako, Dor, Sidona, etc.) correspond to known locations in ancient Canaan, reflecting the geographical scope of the tribal conquests as remembered in this tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The pattern of Israelite tribes destroying Canaanites but leaving some as tributaries parallels the biblical Book of Judges (e.g., Judg 1:27-36), though the specific city lists and outcomes here are distinctive.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ቤቴኔክ","severity":"caution","text":"The final toponym in the Geʿez is 'ቤቴኔክ' (Betenek), but the English draft reads 'Betenet' for the earlier occurrence and 'Betenek' at the end. This inconsistency may reflect a textual variant or scribal error.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is part of the Ethiopic 'Book of Judges' (LIT1700Judges), a work that expands on biblical narratives with local traditions, likely used in liturgical or educational settings in the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"},{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text has 'ቤቴኔክ' at the end, while the English draft uses 'Betenet' earlier; it is unclear if these refer to the same place or are distinct.","The phrase 'ኢያጥፍእዎሙ' (ʾuyaṭfəʾwomu) is consistently translated as 'destroyed', but the nuance of total annihilation versus military defeat is ambiguous."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"ወአጠቅዎሙ ፡ አሞሬዎን ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ ዳን ፡ በውስተ ፡ ደብር ፡ እስመ ፡ ኢያበውሕዎሙ ፡ ይረዱ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቈላት ፡\nወአኅዙ ፡ አሞሬዎን ፡ ይንበሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ደብረ ፡ መርስኖኖስ ፡ ዘቦ ፡ ውስቴቱ ፡ ድበ ፡ ወቈናጽለ ፡ ወጸንዐት ፡ እዴሁ ፡\nለቤተ ፡ ዮሴፍ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ አሞሬዎን ፡ ወኮንዎሙ ፡ መጸብሔ ።\n\nወደብረ ፡ አሞሬዎን ፡ (ለ)ኢዱሜዎን ፡ ላዕላይ ፡ ዘአቅራቢን ፡ እለ ፡ ውስተ ፡ [ላዕለ ፡] ኰኵሕ ።\n\nJudices 2\n\n2\nወዐርገ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ እምነ ፡ ገልገል ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ቀለውትሞና ፡ ወላዕለ ፡ ቤቴል ፡ ወላዕለ ፡ ቤተ ፡\nእስራኤል ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ አውፃእኩክሙአ ፡ እምነአ ፡ ግብጽአ ፡ ወአባእኩክሙአ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድር ፡ እንተ ፡\nመሐልኩ ፡ ለአበዊክሙ ፡ ከመ ፡ አሀብክሙ ፡ ወእቤለክሙ ፡ ኢየኀድግ ፡ ኪዳንየ ፡ ዘምስሌክሙ ፡ ለዓለም ።\n\nወአንትሙኒ ፡ ኢትትካየዱ ፡ ኪዳነ ፡ ምስለ ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ዛቲ ፡ ምድር ፡ ወኢለአማልክቲሆሙ ፡ ወኢትስግዱ\n፡ ሎሙ ፡ ወግልፎሆሙኒ ፡ ቀጥቅጡ ፡ ወምሥዋዓቲሆሙኒ ፡ ንሥቱ ፡ ወኢሰማዕክሙ ፡ ቃልየ ፡ አመ ፡ ገበርክሙ ፡ ዘንተ ።","english":"And they drove out the Amorites from the children of Dan in the mountain, because they had oppressed them, descending into the plain. And the Amorites took hold and dwelt in the mountain of Mersinonos, which had in it a bear and a leopard, and the strength of the hand of the house of Joseph was against the Amorites, and they made them tributaries.\n\nAnd the mountain of the Amorites (was) for the Edomites above, who were near, those who were in [above] the summit.\n\nJudges 2\n\n2\n\nAnd the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to above Kelwetmona and above Bethel and above the house of Israel, and he said to them, \"The Lord has brought you out from Egypt and has brought you into the land which I promised to your fathers, as I gave to you, and I said to you, 'I will not break my covenant with you forever.'\"\n\n\"And you also, do not make a covenant with those who dwell in this land, and do not worship their gods, and do not bow down to them, and break down their altars, and destroy their high places. And if you do not hear my voice when I have done this.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Judices 2","severity":"info","text":"The passage is divided into two sections: a narrative about the Amorites and Dan, and a chapter heading 'Judices 2' followed by a speech of the angel of the Lord.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ደብረ ፡ መርስኖኖስ","severity":"info","text":"The toponym 'Mersinonos' is unattested elsewhere; it may be a corruption or a local name for a mountain in the territory of Dan.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Judges 2:1-2","severity":"info","text":"The angel's speech echoes the biblical account of the angel at Bokim (Judges 2:1-5), but here the location is Gilgal, Kelwetmona, Bethel, and the house of Israel.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወኢሰማዕክሙ ፡ ቃልየ ፡ አመ ፡ ገበርክሙ ፡ ዘንተ","severity":"caution","text":"The final sentence is incomplete: 'And if you do not hear my voice when I have done this' lacks an apodosis, suggesting a textual break or corruption.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"አሞሬዎን","severity":"info","text":"The Amorites are depicted as dwelling in a mountain with a bear and a leopard, a detail not in the biblical Judges, reflecting local Ethiopic hagiographic or topographical tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአኅዙ ፡ አሞሬዎን ፡ ይንበሩ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'the Amorites took hold and dwelt' may reflect a conflation with the Edomites in the following line, suggesting a scribal gloss or harmonization.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Mersinonos' is uncertain; it may be a corruption of a known place or a local invention.","The final sentence is grammatically incomplete, leaving the consequence of disobedience unstated.","The relationship between the Amorites and Edomites in the second paragraph is unclear; the text may be conflating two groups."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":"ወአነኒ ፡ እቤ ፡ ኢይደግም ፡ እንከ ፡ አሰስሎቶሙ ፡ ለሕዝብ ፡ እለ ፡ እቤ ፡ ከመ ፡ ኣውፅኦሙ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቅድሜክሙ ፡\nወይከውኑክሙአ ፡ ለሐዘንአ ፡ ወአማልክቲሆሙኒአ ፡ ይከውኑክሙአ ፡ ለዕቅፍትአ ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ይቤሎሙ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለኵሉ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ዘንተ ፡ ነገረ ፡ ጸርኀ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡\nወበከየ ።\n\nወበእንተ ፡ ዝንቱ ፡ ተሰምየ ፡ ስሙ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ መካን ፡ ብካይ ፡ ወሦዑ ፡ በህየ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ።\n\nወፈነዎሙ ፡ ለሕዝብ ፡ ወአተዉ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አብያቲሆሙ ፡ ወውስተ ፡ ርስቶሙ ፡ ከመ ፡\nይትዋረስዋ ፡ ለምድር ።\n\nወተቀንዩ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ በኵሉ ፡ መዋዕሊሁ ፡ ለኢየሱስ ፡ ወበኵሉ ፡ መዋዕሊሆሙ ፡ ለሊቃናት ፡ ኵሉ ፡ እለ\n፡ ኖኀ ፡ መዋዕሊሆሙ ፡ እምድኅረ ፡ ኢየሱስ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ እለ ፡ አእመሩ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ግብረ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ዐቢየ ፡ ዘገብረ ፡\nለእስራኤል ።","english":"And I say, I will not repeat again, for I have already made them descend for the people, as I say, just as I drove them out from before you. And they will be for you a cause of sorrow, and their gods will be for you a cause of stumbling.\n\nAnd then, when the Angel of the Lord said to all Israel this word of lamentation, all the people wept.\n\nAnd because of this, the name of that place was called \"Weeping,\" and they fasted there to the Lord.\n\nAnd he sent for the people, and all the children of Israel came into their houses and into their inheritance, so that they might inherit the land.\n\nAnd the people were zealous for the Lord throughout all the days of Joshua, and throughout all the days of the elders, all those who prolonged their days after Joshua, all those who knew all the works of the Lord, the great things that he did for Israel.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'Angel of the Lord' (malʾaka ʾəgziʾabəḥer) is a standard Geʿez rendering of the biblical figure who appears in Judges as a divine messenger or judge.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ብካይ","severity":"info","text":"The naming of the place 'Weeping' (bəkay) echoes the biblical tradition of naming sites after emotional events, as seen in Judges 2:1-5 where the people weep at the Angel's rebuke.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢየሱስ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Joshua (ʾIyāsus) as a leader after whom the people remained zealous reflects the Geʿez tradition that Joshua's leadership set a standard for faithfulness, consistent with the Octateuch narrative.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage transitions from a direct speech by the Angel of the Lord to a narrative of collective weeping and naming of a place, then to a summary of Israel's faithfulness under Joshua and the elders.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The emphasis on the people's weeping and fasting to the Lord reflects the Ethiopic Christian reception of Judges as a moral exemplar, highlighting communal repentance and devotion.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the speaker in the first sentence ('I say, I will not repeat again') is ambiguous; it may be the Angel of the Lord or a narrative voice. The reading taken follows the English draft as a continuation of the Angel's speech.","The phrase 'all those who prolonged their days after Joshua' could refer to the elders or to later faithful leaders; the translation opts for the elders."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":"ወሞተ ፡ ኢየሱስ ፡ ወልደ ፡ ነዌ ፡ ገብረ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ [እንዘ ፡] ወልደ ፡ ፻ወ፲ዓመት ።\n\nወቀበርዎ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ርስቱ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ተምናታረክ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ እመንገለ ፡ መስዑ ፡ ለደብረ\n፡ ጋአስ ።\n\nወኵላ ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ትውልድ ፡ አተዉ ፡ ኀበ ፡ አበዊሆሙ ፡ ወተንሥአት ፡ ካልእት ፡ ትውልድ ፡ እምድኅሬሆሙ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ እለ\n፡ ኢያአምርዎ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ ወግብረ ፡ ዘገብረ ፡ ለእስራኤል ።\n\nወገብሩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ እኪተ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወአምለኩ ፡ በዓልም ።\n\nወኀደግዎ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ አምላከ ፡ አበዊሆሙ ፡ ዘአውፅኦሙ ፡ እምነ ፡ ምድረ ፡ ግብጽ ፡ ወተለዉ ፡ ባእደ ፡ አማልክተ\n፡ አማልክተ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ እለ ፡ ዐውዶሙ ፡ ወሰገዱ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ ወአምዕዕዎ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ።\n\nወኀደግዎ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ ወአምለክዎ ፡ ለበዓል ፡ ወአስጠርጤን ።\n\nወተምዕዐ ፡ መዐተ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ላዕለ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወአግብኦሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እደ ፡ እለ ፡ ይፄውውዎሙ ፡ ወፄወውዎሙ\n፡ ወአእተውዎሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድረ ፡ ፀሮሙ ፡ እለ ፡ ዐውዶሙ ፡ ወኢክህሉ ፡ ተቃውሞ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ ፀሮሙ ፡ በኵሉ ፡ ዘበርበርዎሙ\n።","english":"And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being one hundred and ten years old.\n\nAnd they buried him in his own land, in Timnath-heres, in the mountain of Ephraim, on the north side of the mountain of Gaash.\n\nAnd that whole generation passed away to their fathers, and a second generation arose after them, all of whom did not know the Lord and the work that he had done for Israel.\n\nAnd the children of Israel did evil before the Lord, and they worshipped Baal.\n\nAnd they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they turned aside after the gods of the peoples who surrounded them, and they bowed down to them, and they angered the Lord.\n\nAnd they abandoned the Lord, and they worshipped Baal and Astarte.\n\nAnd the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of those who oppressed them, and they oppressed them, and they delivered them into the land of their enemies who surrounded them, and they were unable to resist before their enemies in all that they did to them.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"ወልደ ፡ ፻ወ፲ዓመት","severity":"info","text":"Joshua’s age at death is given as 110 years, a traditional figure also found in the biblical account (Joshua 24:29 LXX).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ተምናታረክ","severity":"info","text":"The toponym Timnath-heres (ተምናታረክ) is a variant of Timnath-serah, Joshua’s burial site in Ephraim, as in Josh 24:30.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወሰገዱ ፡ ሎሙ","severity":"info","text":"The description of Israel abandoning the Lord and worshipping Baal and Astarte echoes Judges 2:11–13, where the people turn to Canaanite gods.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"አስጠርጤን","severity":"info","text":"Astarte (አስጠርጤን) is a Canaanite goddess, often paired with Baal in the Hebrew Bible and in Ethiopic tradition as a symbol of apostasy.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወኵላ ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ትውልድ","severity":"info","text":"This passage marks a generational transition: the death of Joshua and his generation, followed by a new generation ignorant of the Lord, setting the stage for the cycle of apostasy and oppression in Judges.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወሞተ ፡ ኢየሱስ","severity":"info","text":"In Ethiopic tradition, Joshua (ኢየሱስ) is revered as a servant of the Lord and a type of Christ; his death here initiates the period of the judges.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text has a lacuna marked by brackets [እንዘ ፡] in the first line; the reading 'being' is inferred from context.","The phrase 'north side' (እመንገለ ፡ መስዑ) is ambiguous; it could also mean 'on the left side' in a directional sense."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":10,"ref":"p10","source":"ወእደ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ላዕሌሆሙ ፡ በእኪት ፡ በከመ ፡ ይቤ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወበከመ ፡ መሐለ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡\nወሣቀይዎሙ ፡ ጥቀ ።\n\nወአቀመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ መሳፍንተ ፡ ወአድኀኖሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ እምእደ ፡ እለ ፡ ፄወውዎሙ ።\n\nወለመሳፍንቲሆሙኒ ፡ ኢሰም[ዕዎ]ሙ ፡ እስመ ፡ ዘመዉ ፡ ወተለዉ ፡ አማልክተ ፡ ባዕድ ፡ ወሰገዱ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ ወአምዕዕዎ ፡\nለእግዚአብሔር ፡ ወኀደግዋ ፡ ፍጡነ ፡ ለፍኖት ፡ እንተ ፡ ባቲ ፡ ሖሩ ፡ አበዊሆሙ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይስምዑ ፡ ቃለ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡\nወኢገብሩ ፡ ከማሁ ።\n\nወሶበ ፡ አቀመ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ መሳፍንተ ፡ ወሀለወ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ምስለ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ መስፍን ፡ ወአድኀኖሙ ፡\nእምእደ ፡ ፀሮሙ ፡ በኵሉ ፡ መዋዕሊሁ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ መስፍን ፡ እስመ ፡ ተሣሀሎሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ እምነ ፡ ሕማሞሙ ፡ ዘቦ ፡\nቅድመ ፡ እለ ፡ ይትቃተልዎሙ ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ሞተ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ መስፍን ፡ ይገብኡ ፡ ካዕበ ፡ ወይኤብሱ ፡ ፈድፋደ ፡ እምነ ፡ አበዊሆሙ ፡ ወየሐውሩ ፡\nወይተልዉ ፡ አማልክተ ፡ ባዕድ ፡ ወያመልክዎሙ ፡ ወይሰግዱ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ ወኢየኀድጉ ፡ እከዮሙ ፡ ወኢይገብኡ ፡ እምነ ፡ ፍኖቶሙ ፡\nእኪት ።","english":"And the hand of the Lord was upon them in evil, as the Lord said, and as the Lord swore, and He oppressed them greatly.\n\nAnd the Lord appointed judges, and the Lord saved them from the hand of those who persecuted them.\n\nAnd as for their judges, they did not listen to them, because they sinned and followed foreign gods, and worshipped them, and angered the Lord, and quickly abandoned the path by which their fathers had gone, so that they might hear the word of the Lord, and they did not do likewise.\n\nAnd when the Lord appointed judges for them, and the Lord was with that judge, and He saved them from the hand of their enemies throughout all the days of that judge, because the Lord had mercy on them from their affliction which they had before those who would slay them.\n\nAnd then, when that judge died, they would sin again and do worse than their fathers, and they would turn and follow foreign gods, and serve them, and worship them, and they would not abandon their evil, and they would not turn from their path of evil.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage presents a cyclical pattern: apostasy, divine punishment, appointment of a judge, deliverance, relapse after the judge's death. The repetition of 'and then' (ወእምዝ) marks the cycle.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"መሳፍንተ","severity":"info","text":"መሳፍንተ (masāfǝnta) is the plural of መስፍን (masfǝn), 'judge' or 'leader'. In the Geʿez Judges, it designates the charismatic deliverers sent by God, not hereditary rulers.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"አማልክተ ባዕድ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'foreign gods' (አማልክተ ባዕድ) echoes the Deuteronomistic theme of Israel's apostasy, as in Judges 2:11-13 (LXX). The Geʿez text amplifies the sin of worshiping other gods.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez Book of Judges is part of the Ethiopic Octateuch, a translation from the Greek Septuagint. This passage reflects the theological framework of the Deuteronomistic History, where divine retribution follows apostasy.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"},{"key":"ed:LIT1700Judges","label":"source edition: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"In Ethiopic tradition, the cyclical pattern of sin and deliverance in Judges was often read as a moral lesson for the Christian community, emphasizing the need for faithful leadership and obedience to God.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢሰም[ዕዎ]ሙ","severity":"caution","text":"The reading ኢሰም[ዕዎ]ሙ is uncertain; the brackets indicate a conjectural restoration. The sense is 'they did not listen to them', but the exact form is not fully legible in the manuscript.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'in evil' (በእኪት) could be read as 'for evil' or 'as evil', but the context suggests divine punishment. The restoration of the verb in the fourth sentence is uncertain."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":11,"ref":"p11","source":"ወተምዕዐ ፡ መዐተ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ላዕለ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወይቤ ፡ እስመ ፡ ኀደገ ፡ ዝንቱ ፡ ሕዝብየ ፡ ኪዳንየ ፡\nዘአዘዝክዎሙ ፡ ለአበዊሆሙ ፡ ወኢሰምዑ ፡ ቃልየ ፤\n\nወአነኒ ፡ ኢይደግም ፡ እንከ ፡ አሰስሎ ፡ ብእሴ ፡ እምቅድሜሆሙ ፡ እምነ ፡ አሕዛብ ፡ እለ ፡ አትረፈ ፡ ኢየሱስ ፤\n\nወኀደ[ጎ]ሙ ፡ ከመ ፡ [ያመክ]ሮሙ ፡ ቦሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ እመ ፡ የዐቅቡ ፡ ፍኖተ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወእመ ፡ የሐውሩ ፡\nባቲ ፡ በከመ ፡ ዐቄቡ ፡ አበዊሆሙ ፡ ወእመ ፡ አልቦ ።\n\nወኀደጎሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለእሉ ፡ አሕዛብ ፡ ወኢያሰሰሎሙ ፡ ፍጡነ ፡ ወኢያግብኦሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴሁ ፡ ለኢየሱስ\n።\n\nJudices 3\n\n3\nወኀደጎሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለእሉ ፡ አሕዛብ ፡ ከመ ፡ ያመክሮሙ ፡ ቦሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ እለ ፡ ኢያእመሩ ፡ ኵሎ\n፡ ፀብኦሙ ፡ ለከናአን ።\n\nዳእሙ ፡ በእንተ ፡ ትውልዶሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ከመ ፡ ይምሀርዎሙ ፡ ቀትለ ፡ ወባሕቱ ፡ እለ ፡ እምቅድሜሆሙኒ ፡\nኢያአመርዎሙ ።","english":"The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and He said, “Because this people of mine have abandoned my covenant, which I commanded their fathers, and they did not hearken to my voice. And I will not again send a man from before them from among the peoples whom Joshua left. And He left them, that they might test them, whether Israel would keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their fathers kept it, or not. And the Lord left these peoples and did not send a swift one to bring them under the hand of Joshua.”\n\nJudges 3\n\n3\n\nAnd the Lord left these peoples to test them, whether Israel, all those who did not know all their battles against Canaan, would be tested. They were ignorant concerning the generations of the children of Israel, that they might teach them to kill, and only those who were before them did not know them.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Judices 3","severity":"info","text":"The heading 'Judices 3' and its repetition mark a chapter division, likely a later scribal insertion to align with the Vulgate or Septuagint chapter numbering.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ኢየሱስ","severity":"info","text":"The name 'Iyasus' (Joshua) appears twice, referring to Joshua son of Nun, the leader who conquered Canaan. The text contrasts his swift action with the Lord's delayed judgment.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወኢሰምዑ ፡ ቃልየ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'they did not hearken to my voice' echoes Deuteronomy 28:15 and Judges 2:20, where disobedience leads to divine punishment.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ከናአን","severity":"info","text":"Canaan (ከናአን) refers to the pre-Israelite inhabitants of the land, whose battles against Israel are a recurring theme in Judges. The text implies Israel's ignorance of these battles.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢያአመርዎሙ","severity":"caution","text":"The final clause 'they did not know them' is ambiguous: it may mean the later generations did not know the Canaanites, or that the earlier generations did not know the later ones. The English draft opts for the former.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ኢያአመርዎሙ' (they did not know them) is ambiguous: it could refer to the children of Israel not knowing the Canaanites, or the earlier generations not knowing the later ones. The English draft interprets it as the former.","The repetition of 'Judices 3' may indicate a textual variant or a scribal note, but its exact function is unclear."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":12,"ref":"p12","source":"ለእሉ ፡ ኀምስቱ ፡ አሕዛበ ፡ አሎፍሊ ፡ ወኵሉ ፡ ከናአን ፡ ወሲዶና ፡ ወኤዌዎን ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኢባኖስ ፡\nእምነ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ባላሄርሞን ፡ እስከ ፡ ሎቤመት ።\n\nወተርፉ ፡ ከመ ፡ ያመክሮሙ ፡ ቦሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ከመ ፡ ያእምር ፡ እመ ፡ ይሰምዑ ፡ ትእዛዘ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡\nዘአዘዞሙ ፡ ለአበዊሆሙ ፡ በእደ ፡ ሙሴ ።\n\nወነበሩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ማእከለ ፡ ከናኔዎን ፡ ወኬጤዎን ፡ ወአሞሬዎን ፡ ወፌሬዜዎን ፡ ወኤዌዎን ፡ ወኢያቡሴዎን ።\n\nወነሥኡ ፡ አዋልዲሆሙ ፡ አውሰቡ ፡ ወአዋልዲሆሙ ፡ ወሀቡ ፡ ለደቂቆሙ ፡ ወአምለኩ ፡ ለአማልክቲሆሙ ።\n\nወገብሩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ እኩየ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወረስዕዎ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ አምላኮሙ ፡ ወአምለኩ ፡\nበዓልም ፡ ወአምሳሊሆሙ ።\n\nወተምዕዐ ፡ መዐተ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ላዕለ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወአግብኦሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እደ ፡ ኩሳ ፡ አርሳቴም ፡ ንጉሠ ፡\nሶርያ ፡ ዘሜሶጶጦምያ ፡ አፍላግ ፡ ወተቀንዩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ለኩሳ ፡ አርሳቴም ፡ ሰማንተ ፡ ዓመተ ።","english":"To these five peoples, the Philistines, and all Canaan, and Sidon, and the Hivites, who dwell in the land from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebemath.\n\nAnd they remained to test them, to see for Israel whether they would hearken to the commandment of the Lord, which He commanded their fathers through the hand of Moses.\n\nAnd the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.\n\nAnd they took their daughters as wives, and gave their own daughters to their sons, and worshipped their gods.\n\nAnd the children of Israel did evil before the Lord, and they rejected the Lord their God, and worshipped Baal and his images.\n\nAnd the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and He delivered them into the hand of Cushan-rishathaim, king of Syria of Mesopotamia, the River; and the children of Israel served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ኩሳ አርሳቴም","severity":"info","text":"Cushan-rishathaim is a figure known from Judges 3:8-10, here identified as king of Syria of Mesopotamia (Aram-Naharaim). The name may be a conflation or symbolic title meaning 'double-evil Cushan'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢባኖስ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ኢባኖስ (ʿubānos) is a transliteration of Greek 'Libanos' (Lebanon), here referring to the region from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebemath (likely Lebo-hamath).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአምለኩ ለአማልክቲሆሙ","severity":"info","text":"This passage echoes Judges 3:6-7, where Israel intermarries with Canaanites and adopts their worship. The Geʿez expands the list of peoples and adds the detail of giving daughters in marriage.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage forms a narrative unit describing Israel's apostasy and divine punishment, following the pattern of sin, divine anger, and foreign oppression common in the Judges cycle.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez text of Judges is part of the Ethiopic Octateuch, translated from the Septuagint. This passage reflects a tradition that emphasizes the role of the five peoples (Philistines, Canaanites, etc.) as instruments of divine testing.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ሎቤመት","severity":"caution","text":"The toponym ሎቤመት (Lebemath) is uncertain; it may be a corruption of Lebo-hamath (a biblical site) or a scribal error. The Geʿez text here diverges from the Masoretic and Septuagint traditions.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Lebemath' is unclear; it may represent a place name or a textual corruption.","The phrase 'to test them' could be read as God's intention or as the peoples' own purpose; the Geʿez syntax allows both."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":13,"ref":"p13","source":"ወገዐሩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወአቀመ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ መድኀኒተ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡\nወአድኀኖሙ ፡ ጎቶንየል ፡ ወልደ ፡ ቄኔዝ ፡ እኁሁ ፡ ለካሌብ ፡ ዘይንእስ ፡ ወተአዘዙ ፡ ሎቱ ።\n\nወኮነ ፡ ላዕሌሁ ፡ መንፈሰ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወኰነኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ወወፅአ ፡ ፀብአ ፡ ወአግብኦ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡\nውስተ ፡ እዴሁ ፡ ለኩሳ ፡ አርሳቴም ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ ሶርያ ።\n\nወአዕረፈት ፡ ምድር ፡ ኀምሳ ፡ ዓመተ ፡ ወሞተ ፡ ጎቶኒየል ፡ ወልደ ፡ ቄኔዝ ።\n\nወደገሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ገቢረ ፡ እኩይ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወአጽንዖ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለኤግሎም ፡ ንጉሠ\n፡ ሞአብ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ እስመ ፡ ገብሩ ፡ እኪተ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ።\n\nወኦስተጋብአ ፡ ላዕሌሆሙ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ ወዐማሌቅ ፡ ወሖረ ፡ ወቀተሎሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ወተወርሰ ፡ ሀገረ ፡\nፊኒቆን ።\n\nወተቀንዩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ለኤግሎም ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ ሞአብ ፡ ዐሠርተ ፡ ወሰማንተ ፡ ዓመተ ።","english":"And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord established for them a deliverer for Israel. And Othniel, son of Kenaz, the younger brother of Caleb, delivered them, and they submitted to him.\n\nAnd the Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. And he went out to war, and the Lord delivered Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, into his hand.\n\nAnd the land rested for fifty years, and Othniel, son of Kenaz, died.\n\nAnd the children of Israel again did evil before the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon, king of Moab, over Israel, because they had done evil before the Lord.\n\nAnd he gathered against them all the children of Ammon and Amalek, and he went and killed the Israelites, and he seized the land of Phoenicia.\n\nAnd the children of Israel submitted to Eglon, king of Moab, for eighteen years.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ጎቶንየል","severity":"info","text":"Othniel (Geʿez: ጎቶንየል) is identified as the younger brother of Caleb, son of Kenaz. This matches the biblical figure in Judges 3:9-11, though the Geʿez text adds the detail of his brotherhood to Caleb, which is not explicit in the Masoretic Text.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ኩሳ ፡ አርሳቴም","severity":"info","text":"Cushan-rishathaim (Geʿez: ኩሳ ፡ አርሳቴም) is the king of Mesopotamia (Geʿez: ሶርያ) mentioned in Judges 3:8-10. The Geʿez text renders his name as 'Kusa Arsatem', a transliteration of the Hebrew כּוּשַׁן רִשְׁעָתַיִם.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ሞአብ","severity":"info","text":"Eglon, king of Moab, is a figure from Judges 3:12-30. The Geʿez text follows the biblical narrative where Eglon oppresses Israel for eighteen years after they do evil before the Lord.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"ኀምሳ ፡ ዓመተ","severity":"info","text":"The land rested for fifty years after Othniel's deliverance. This period is not explicitly given in the Masoretic Text of Judges, which only notes Othniel's forty-year judgeship (Judges 3:11). The Geʿez tradition may reflect a different chronological tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage follows a cyclical pattern: Israel sins, God provides a deliverer (Othniel), peace ensues, then Israel sins again, leading to a new oppressor (Eglon). This mirrors the structure of the biblical Judges narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ሶርያ","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez term ሶርያ (Sorya) is used for Mesopotamia, but in other contexts it can refer to Syria. Here it clearly translates the Hebrew אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם (Aram-naharaim), i.e., Mesopotamia, as in Judges 3:8.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'the Spirit of the Lord was upon him' (መንፈሰ ፡ እግዚአብሔር) could be interpreted as divine inspiration or as a literal spirit, but the context suggests the former, as in Judges 3:10.","The identity of 'Phoenicia' (ፊኒቆን) in the Geʿez text is unclear; it may refer to a region in Canaan, but the biblical account (Judges 3:13) mentions taking the city of Jericho, not Phoenicia."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":14,"ref":"p14","source":"ወገዐሩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወአቀመ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ መድኀኒተ ፡ ናኦድ ፡ ወልደ ፡\nጌራ ፡ ወልደ ፡ ኢያሜኒ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ዘክልኤሆን ፡ እደዊሁ ፡ የማኑ ፡ ወፈነዉ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ አምኃ ፡ ምስሌሁ ፡\nለዔግሎም ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ ሞአብ ።\n\nወገብረ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ናኦድ ፡ መጥባሕተ ፡ እንተ ፡ ክልኤቱ ፡ አፈዊሃ ፡ እንተ ፡ ሥዝር ፡ ኑኃ ፡ ወቀነታ ፡ ታሕተ ፡ ቅናቱ\n፡ ውስተ ፡ ሐቌሁ ፡ መንገለ ፡ የማኑ ።\n\nወአብአ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ አምኃሁ ፡ ለኤግሎም ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ ሞአብ ፡ ወኤግሎምሰ ፡ ቈጢጥ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ጥቀ ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ፈጸመ ፡ ናኦድ ፡ አብኦ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ አምኃሁ ፡ ፈነዎሙ ፡ ለእለ ፡ ጾሩ ፡ አምኃሁ ።\n\nወገብአ ፡ ኤግሎም ፡ እምነ ፡ ቤተ ፡ አማልክት ፡ ምስለ ፡ ገልገል ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ [ናኦድ ፡] ብየ ፡ ነገረ ፡ ኀቤከ ፡\nንጉሥ ፡ እንተ ፡ ባሕቲትከ ፡ ወአዘዘ ፡ ዔግሎም ፡ ይፃእ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ እምኀቤሁ ፡ ወወፅኡ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ እለ ፡ ይቀውሙ ፡ ኀቤሁ\n።","english":"And the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord established for them a deliverer, Naod, son of Gera, son of Uyameni, a man with two hands, his right hand, and the children of Israel sent him with his tribute to Eglom, king of Moab.\n\nAnd Naod made for himself a sword with two edges, with a span of a cubit, and he girded it beneath his garment on the side of his right hand.\n\nAnd he brought his tribute to Eglom, king of Moab, and Eglom was a very fat man.\n\nAnd then, when Naod had finished bringing his tribute to him, he sent away those who had brought his tribute.\n\nAnd Eglom came from the house of idols with Gilgal, and Naod said to him, “I have a secret word for you, O king, which is for you alone.” And Eglom commanded that everyone depart from him, and all those who stood before him went out.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ናኦድ","severity":"info","text":"The name 'Naod' corresponds to the biblical Ehud (Judg 3:15). The Geʿez form reflects a different vocalization or transmission of the Hebrew name.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ኤግሎም","severity":"info","text":"Eglom (Eglon) is the king of Moab in the biblical narrative (Judg 3:12–30). The Geʿez text follows the biblical account closely.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage narrates the preparation and delivery of tribute by Naod to Eglom, setting up the assassination scene. The narrative follows the biblical sequence.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢያሜኒ","severity":"caution","text":"The patronymic 'Uyameni' is not found in the biblical text (Judg 3:15 gives 'Gera' only). This may be a scribal addition or a corruption.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The detail of the two-edged sword and its concealment under the garment parallels the biblical account (Judg 3:16). The Geʿez version adds the measurement 'span of a cubit'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The name 'Uyameni' is unattested in the biblical tradition; its origin is unclear.","The phrase 'house of idols with Gilgal' is ambiguous; it may refer to a sanctuary or a place name."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":15,"ref":"p15","source":"ወቦአ ፡ ናኦድ ፡ ኀቤሁ ፡ ወይነብር ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ባሕቲቱ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ጽርሑ ፡ ወሐጋይ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ ናኦድ ፡ ብየ\n፡ ዘእነግረከ ፡ ንጉሥ ፡ ወተንሥአ ፡ ኤግሎም ፡ እምነ ፡ መንበሩ ፡ ወቀርቦ ።\n\nወሶበ ፡ ተንሥአ ፡ አልዐለ ፡ ናኦድ ፡ እዴሁ ፡ እንተ ፡ ፀጋም ፡ ወመልኀ ፡ መጥባሕቶ ፡ እምነ ፡ ገቦሁ ፡ ዘየማን ፡\nወረገዞ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ከርሡ ፡ ለኤግሎም ።\n\nወአብኣ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ እስከ ፡ ለዐታ ፡ ወበረሮ ፡ እስከ ፡ ዘባኑ ፡ ወመልኀ ፡ መጥባኅቶ ፡ እምነ ፡ ከርሡ ።\n\nወወፅአ ፡ ናዖድ ፡ ጸናፌ ፡ ወዐጸወ ፡ ኆኅተ ፡ ጽርሕ ፡ ላዕሌሁ ፡ ወቀተረ ።\n\nወወፂኦ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ቦኡ ፡ ደቁ ፡ ወርእዩ ፡ ወረከቡ ፡ ኆኅተ ፡ ዘጽርሕ ፡ ዕጽወ ፡ ወይቤሉ ፡ ዮጊ ፡ ባሕቲቱ ፡ ይነብር\n፡ ጽመ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምግሓሠ ፡ ጽርሑ ፡ ቅስፈ ።\n\nወፀንሑ ፡ እስመ ፡ ኀፍሩ ፡ ወአልቦ ፡ ዘአርኀዎሙ ፡ ኆኅተ ፡ ጽርሕ ፡ ወነሥኡ ፡ መርኆ ፡ ወአርኀዉ ፡ ወረከብዎ ፡\nለእግዚኦሙ ፡ ውዱቀ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድር ፡ ምውተ ።","english":"And Naod went to him, and he was sitting alone in his summer house, and he was a fat man. And Naod said to him, \"I have a secret to tell you, O king.\" And Eglom rose from his seat and approached.\n\nAnd when he rose, Naod raised his hand, the left one, and drew his sword from his right side, and thrust it into Eglom's belly.\n\nAnd he drove it in until the hilt, and it came out through his back. And he drew his sword from his belly.\n\nAnd Naod went out, closed the door of the summer house behind him, and killed.\n\nAnd he went out, and his servants came and saw, and they found the door of the summer house locked. And they said, \"Perhaps he is sitting alone, relieving himself in the inner chamber of his summer house.\"\n\nAnd they waited because they were ashamed, and there was no one to open the door of the summer house for them. And they took the key and opened it, and they found their lord fallen on the ground, dead.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage corresponds to Judges 3:20–25, where Ehud (Naod) assassinates Eglon (Eglom) and escapes. The Geʿez version compresses the biblical narrative, omitting the detail of Ehud's left-handedness and the locked door.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ጽርሑ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ጽርሑ (ṣərḥu) is rendered as 'summer house' in the English draft. In the context of Judges, it likely refers to a private chamber or cool retreat, consistent with the biblical 'upper room' or 'cool chamber'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ናኦድ","severity":"info","text":"The name ናኦድ (Naod) corresponds to the biblical Ehud (Judges 3:15). The Geʿez text uses a variant form, possibly influenced by Ethiopic orthographic conventions or a different source tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez version of Judges is part of the Ethiopic Octateuch, a translation of the Greek Septuagint. This passage reflects the LXX tradition, which includes details like the sword's length and the locked door, not found in the Masoretic Text.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"In Ethiopic Christian tradition, the story of Naod (Ehud) is read as a model of divinely sanctioned deliverance. The text emphasizes the king's fatness and the secret message, highlighting the cunning of the deliverer.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወቀተረ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'ወቀተረ' (waqatara) in line 4 is ambiguous: it could mean 'and he killed' (the guard) or 'and he was killed' (passive). The English draft interprets it as active, but the Geʿez lacks an explicit object, leaving the subject unclear.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the person killed in line 4 is ambiguous: Naod kills a guard or is himself killed? The context suggests Naod kills a guard, but the Geʿez verb lacks an object.","The phrase 'ወአልዐለ ናኦድ እዴሁ እንተ ፀጋም' (waʾalʿala naod ʾedēhu ʾenta ṣāgām) could be read as 'Naod raised his left hand' or 'Naod raised his hand, the left one'; the English draft chooses the latter, but the Geʿez syntax allows both."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":16,"ref":"p16","source":"ወናኦድሰ ፡ አምሰጠ ፡ እስከ ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ ይትሀወኩ ፡ ወአልቦ ፡ ዘአእመሮ ፡ ወውእቱሰ ፡ ኀለፈ ፡ እምነ ፡ አማልክቲሆሙ\n፡ ወአምሰጠ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሴይሮታ ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡ በጽሐ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድረ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወነፍኀ ፡ ቀርነ ፡ በውስተ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ወወረዱ ፡\nምስሌሁ ፡ እምነ ፡ ደብር ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወውእቱ ፡ ቅድሜሆሙ ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ረዱ ፡ ትልውኒ ፡ እስመ ፡ አግብኦሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለፀርነ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴነ ፡ ለሞአብ ፡ ወወረዱ ፡\nወተለውዎ ፡ ወበጽሑ ፡ ማዕዶተ ፡ ዮርዳንስ ፡ ዘሞአብ ፡ ወኢያብሑ ፡ ሰብእ ፡ ይዕዱ ።\n\nወቀተልዎሙ ፡ ለሞአብ ፡ በእማንቱ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ የአክል ፡ እልፈ ፡ ብእሴ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ መስተቃትላነ ፡ ወኵሎ ፡ ዕደወ ፡\nኀይሎሙ ፡ ወአልቦ ፡ ዘአምሰጠ ፡ እምኔሆሙ ፡ ወኢ፩ብእሲ ።\n\nወገብኡ ፡ ሞአብ ፡ በእማንቱ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴሆሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ወአዕረፈት ፡ ምድር ፡ ሰማንያ ፡ ዓመተ ፡\nወኰነኖሙ ፡ ናኦድ ፡ እስከ ፡ ሞተ ።","english":"And Naod drew his sword from his side, and he struck him, and he killed him. And he went out and closed the door behind him. And the servants of the king saw him and said, \"The king is dead.\" And they pursued Naod, but he fled and went to the land of Israel. And he blew the trumpet on Mount Ephraim, and the children of Israel came down from the mountain with him, and he was before them.\n\nAnd he said to them, \"Follow me, for the Lord has delivered our enemy into our hands, the Moabites.\" And they came down and followed him, and they reached the fords of the Jordan of Moab, and they did not let any man cross.\n\nAnd they killed the Moabites in those days, about ten thousand men, all the warriors and all the mighty men of their strength, and there was none who escaped from among them, not even one man.\n\nAnd the Moabites submitted in those days into the hands of Israel, and the land rested for eighty years. And Naod judged them until he died.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ወናኦድሰ ፡ አምሰጠ ፡ እስከ ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ ይትሀወኩ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez text describes Naod drawing his sword and striking, but the English draft omits the detail of the sword being drawn from his side and the act of striking, which is explicit in the source.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"አምሰጠ","severity":"info","text":"The verb 'amsaṭa' means 'to draw (a sword)' and is used here for the action of unsheathing, consistent with the previous passage's description of Naod drawing his sword.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ደብረ ፡ ኤፍሬም","severity":"info","text":"Mount Ephraim is a geographical reference in the land of Israel, associated with the tribe of Ephraim, and serves as a rallying point for the Israelites in this narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ረዱ ፡ ትልውኒ ፡ እስመ ፡ አግብኦሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"Naod's speech echoes Judges 3:28, where Ehud (here Naod) tells the Israelites to follow him because God has delivered the Moabites into their hands.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"ሰማንያ ፡ ዓመተ","severity":"info","text":"The text states the land rested for eighty years, which differs from the biblical account of eighty years of peace under Ehud (Judges 3:30), but aligns with the Ethiopic tradition's extended chronology.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ናኦድ","severity":"info","text":"The name 'Naod' corresponds to the biblical Ehud, reflecting a Geʿez adaptation of the name, common in Ethiopic biblical manuscripts.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether Naod closed the door after killing Eglom, as implied in the English draft; the phrase 'ወአምሰጠ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሴይሮታ' may mean 'he struck him in his belly' or 'he struck him in his side'.","The number of Moabites killed is given as 'እልፈ ፡ ብእሴ' (about ten thousand men), but the English draft renders it as 'about ten thousand men', which is a reasonable interpretation."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":17,"ref":"p17","source":"ወእምድኅረ ፡ ዝንቱ ፡ ቆመ ፡ ሴሜገር ፡ ወልደ ፡ ሐነት ፡ ወቀተሎሙ ፡ ለአሎፊል ፡ ስድስተ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ብእሴ ፡ በኀበ ፡\nማሕረሰ ፡ ላህሙ ፤ ወውእቱኒ ፡ አድኀኖሙ ፡ [ለእስራኤል ፡]፡\n\nJudices 4\n\n4\nወደገሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ገቢረ ፡ እኩይ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወናኦድሰ ፡ ሞተ ።\n\nወአግብኦሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ውስተ ፡ እደ ፡ ኢያሚን ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ ከናአን ፡ ዘነግሠ ፡ በአሶር ፡ ወመልአከ ፡ ሰራዊቱ ፡\nሲሳራ ፡ ወውእቱሰ ፡ ይነብር ፡ ውስተ ፡ አሲሮት ፡ ዘአሕዛብ ።\n\nወገዐሩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ እስመቦ ፡ ትስዐተ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ሰረገላተ ፡ ዘኀፂን ፡ ወውእቱ ፡\nአሕመሞሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይሣቅዮሙ ፡ ዕሥራ ፡ (ወኀምስተ ፡) ዓመተ ።\n\nወዴቦራ ፡ ብእሲት ፡ ነቢይት ፡ ብእሲተ ፡ ለፊዶት ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ትኴንኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ በእማንቱ ፡ መዋዕል ።\n\nወዴቦራሰ ፡ ትነብር ፡ ኀበ ፡ ፊኒቃ ፡ ማእከለ ፡ ኢያማ ፡ ወማእከለ ፡ ቤቴል ፡ ውስተ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ወዐርጉ ፡\nኀቤሃ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ከመ ፡ ይትኰነኑ ።","english":"After this, Shemegger, son of Hanat, arose and killed six hundred men of the Philistines with a plowshare. And he also delivered Israel.\n\nJudges 4\n\nAnd the children of Israel did evil before the Lord, and Naod died.\n\nAnd the Lord delivered them into the hand of Yamin, king of Canaan, who reigned in Asor, and the commander of his army, Sisera, and he dwelt in Asirot of the Gentiles.\n\nAnd the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, for nine hundred chariots of iron were against them, and he oppressed Israel, mocking them, for twenty (and five) years.\n\nAnd Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel in those days.\n\nAnd Deborah dwelt near Fenica, between Yama and Bethel, on Mount Ephraim, and the children of Israel went up to her to be judged.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ሴሜገር","severity":"info","text":"The name Shemegger (ሴሜገር) corresponds to the biblical judge Shamgar (שַׁמְגַּר). The Geʿez form reflects a variant vocalization or transmission path.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወእምድኅረ ፡ ዝንቱ ፡ ቆመ ፡ ሴሜገር ፡ ወልደ ፡ ሐነት ፡ ወቀተሎሙ ፡ ለአሎፊል ፡ ስድስተ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ብእሴ ፡ በኀበ ፡ ማሕረሰ ፡ ላህሙ","severity":"info","text":"This passage echoes Judges 3:31, where Shamgar son of Anath kills six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. The Geʿez version closely follows the biblical account.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ማሕረሰ ፡ ላህሙ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'with a plowshare' (ማሕረሰ ፡ ላህሙ) translates the Hebrew 'with an oxgoad' (בְּמַלְמַד הַבָּקָר), a farming implement used as a weapon, highlighting the rustic context of Shamgar's exploit.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Judices 4","severity":"info","text":"The passage is divided into two sections: a brief note on Shamgar (Judges 3:31) and the beginning of the Deborah narrative (Judges 4). The Geʿez text marks the chapter break with 'Judices 4'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"ዕሥራ ፡ (ወኀምስተ ፡) ዓመተ","severity":"info","text":"The twenty-five years of oppression (ዕሥራ ፡ ወኀምስተ ፡ ዓመተ) matches the Masoretic Text's twenty years (Judges 4:3) but with a variant; the Geʿez tradition may reflect a different textual tradition or scribal addition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ዴቦራ ፡ ብእሲት ፡ ነቢይት","severity":"info","text":"Deborah is explicitly called a prophetess (ብእሲት ፡ ነቢይት), a title that underscores her prophetic role in the Geʿez tradition, consistent with her biblical portrayal as both judge and prophet.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The name 'Shemegger' may be a scribal variant of Shamgar; the Geʿez form is not attested in other Ethiopic manuscripts.","The parenthetical 'twenty (and five)' years may indicate a textual variant or scribal correction; the standard biblical text gives twenty years."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":18,"ref":"p18","source":"ወፈነወት ፡ ዴቦራ ፡ ወጸውዐቶ ፡ ለባረቅ ፡ ወልደ ፡ አቢኔሔም ፡ እምነ ፡ ቃዴስ ፡ [ዘ]ንፍታሌም ፡ ወትቤሎ ፡ አኮ[ኑ]\n፡ ኪያከ ፡ ኦዘዘ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ አምላከ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ከመ ፡ ትሑር ፡ ውስተ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ታቦር ፡ ወንሣእ ፡ ምስሌከ ፡\n፻-፻ዕደወ ፡ እምነ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ንፍታሌም ፡ ወእምነ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዛቡሎን ።\n\nወእወስደከ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ፈለገ ፡ ቂሶን ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ሲሳራ ፡ መልአከ ፡ ሰራዊቱ ፡ ለኢያሚን ፡ ወሰረገላቲሁ ፡ ወብዝኁ ፡\nወኣገብኦ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴከ ።\n\nወይቤላ ፡ ባረቅ ፡ እመ ፡ ተሐውሪ ፡ ምስሌየ ፡ አሐውር ፡ ወእመሰ ፡ ኢተሐውሪ ፡ ምስሌየ ፡ ኢየሐውር ፡ እስመ ፡\nኢያአምር ፡ ዕለተ ፡ እንተ ፡ ባቲ ፡ ይፈቅድ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ይፈኑ ፡ መልአኮ ፡ ምስሌየ ።\n\nወትቤሎ ፡ ዴቦራ ፡ አሐውር ፡ ምስሌከ ፡ ወባሕቱ ፡ አእምር ፡ ከመ ፡ ኢኮነ ፡ ከመ ፡ ዘቀዲሙ ፡ ቃልከ ፡ በፍኖት ፡\nእንተ ፡ አንተ ፡ ሖርከ ፡ እስመ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እደ ፡ ብእሲት ፡ ያገብኦ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለሲሳራ ፡ ወተንሥአት ፡ ዴቦራ ፡\nወሖረት ፡ ምስለ ፡ ባረቅ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቃዴስ ።","english":"And Deborah sent and summoned Barak, son of Abinoam, from Qedesh of Naphtali, and said to him, “Is it not that the Lord God of Israel has commanded you to go to Mount Tabor and take with you ten thousand men from the tribe of Naphtali and from the tribe of Zebulun? And I will lead you to the River Qishon against Sisera, the commander of his army of the Canaanites, and his chariots, and his multitude, and I will deliver him into your hand.”\n\nAnd Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you do not go with me, I will not go, for I do not know the day on which the Lord will send his angel with me.”\n\nAnd Deborah said to him, “I will go with you; only know that it will not be as your word previously on the road which you went, for into the hand of a woman the Lord will deliver Sisera.” And Deborah arose and went with Barak from Qedesh.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ዴቦራ","severity":"info","text":"Deborah is the only female judge in the biblical Book of Judges. The Geʿez text follows the biblical narrative closely, presenting her as a prophetess and military leader.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ባረቅ","severity":"info","text":"Barak, son of Abinoam, is a military commander from Qedesh of Naphtali. The Geʿez spelling reflects the Hebrew origin.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወፈነወት ፡ ዴቦራ","severity":"info","text":"This passage corresponds to Judges 4:6-9, where Deborah summons Barak and they plan the battle against Sisera. The Geʿez version includes additional dialogue not found in the Masoretic Text.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤላ ፡ ባረቅ","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured as a dialogue between Deborah and Barak, with Barak's conditional response and Deborah's prophetic reply. This narrative structure is typical of Geʿez biblical retellings.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወተንሥአት ፡ ዴቦራ","severity":"info","text":"Deborah's role as a female leader is emphasized in the Geʿez tradition, reflecting the text's reception in Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity where women could hold prophetic authority.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢያአምር ፡ ዕለተ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'I do not know the day' is ambiguous in the Geʿez; it may refer to Barak's uncertainty about the timing of divine intervention, or to a specific liturgical day. The reading here follows the biblical sense.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text includes additional dialogue not in the Masoretic Text, such as Barak's condition about Deborah's presence and Deborah's prophecy about Sisera's defeat by a woman. The exact source of these additions is unclear.","The phrase 'ኢያአምር ፡ ዕለተ' could be interpreted as Barak not knowing the specific day of battle or the day of divine intervention."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":19,"ref":"p19","source":"ወአዘዞሙ ፡ ባረቅ ፡ ለዛቡሎን ፡ ወለንፍታሌም ፡ በቃዴስ ፡ ወዐርጉ ፡ ምስሌሁ ፡ እልፍ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ወዴቦራሂ ፡ ዐርገት ፡\nምስሌሁ ።\n\nወእለ ፡ ቀርቡ ፡ ለቄኔዝ ፡ ተፈልጡ ፡ እምነ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ኢዮባብ ፡ ሐሙሁ ፡ ለሙሴ ፡ ወኀደረ ፡ ትዕይንቱ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ዕፅ\n፡ ለበይት ፡ ኀበ ፡ ቅሩበ ፡ ቃዴስ ።\n\nወዜነውዎ ፡ ለሲሳራ ፡ ከመ ፡ ዐርገ ፡ ባረቅ ፡ ወልደ ፡ አቢኔሔም ፡ ውስተ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ታቦር ።\n\nወአምጽአ ፡ ሲሳራ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ሰረገላቲሁ ፡ እስመ ፡ ፱፻ሰረገላተ ፡ ዘኀፂን ፡ ቦ ፡ ወኵሎ ፡ አሕዛቢሁ ፡ እምነ ፡ አሪሶት\n፡ ዘአሕዛብ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ፈለገ ፡ ቂሶን ።\n\nወትቤሎ ፡ ዴቦራ ፡ ለባረቅ ፡ ተንሥእ ፡ እስመ ፡ ዛቲ ፡ ዕለት ፡ እንተ ፡ ባቲ ፡ ያገብኦ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለሲሳራ ፡\nውስተ ፡ እዴከ ፡ ወናሁ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ የሐውር ፡ ቅድሜከ ፡ ወወረደ ፡ ባረቅ ፡ እምነ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ታቦር ፡ ወእልፍ ፡\nብእሲ ፡ ይተልዎ ።","english":"And Barak commanded the men of Zebulun and Naphtali at Qedesh, and they went up with him, a thousand men; and Deborah also went up with him.\n\nAnd those who had approached the Kenites separated from the sons of Hobab, the father-in-law of Moses, and his sign remained by the tree of the house, near Qedesh.\n\nAnd they reported to Sisera that Barak, son of Abinoam, had gone up onto Mount Tabor.\n\nAnd Sisera brought all his chariots, for he had nine hundred iron chariots, and all his troops from the cities of the peoples, to the river Qishon.\n\nAnd Deborah said to Barak, “Arise, for this is the day on which the Lord will deliver Sisera into your hand; and behold, the Lord goes before you.” And Barak came down from Mount Tabor, and a thousand men followed him.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ቄኔዝ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ቄኔዝ (Qenēz) renders the biblical Kenites, a tribal group associated with Hobab, Moses' father-in-law. The passage notes their separation from the sons of Hobab, reflecting a tradition of their distinct identity.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአዘዞሙ ፡ ባረቅ","severity":"info","text":"This passage corresponds to Judges 4:10-14, where Barak gathers troops at Qedesh, Deborah accompanies him, and Sisera assembles his chariots at the Kishon River. The Geʿez text closely follows the biblical narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ሐሙሁ ፡ ለሙሴ","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Hobab as Moses' father-in-law (ሐሙሁ ለሙሴ) aligns with Numbers 10:29 and Judges 4:11, where the Kenites are linked to Hobab. This genealogical note underscores the Kenites' special status in Israelite tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአዘዞሙ ፡ ባረቅ","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured as a narrative sequence: Barak's command, the Kenites' separation, Sisera's response, and Deborah's exhortation. The Coptic cue 'narrative' is confirmed by the chronological flow and direct speech.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ዴቦራ","severity":"info","text":"Deborah's role as a prophetess and military leader is emphasized in the Geʿez tradition, as seen in her direct command to Barak. This reflects the Ethiopic reception of Deborah as a divinely guided figure, consistent with broader Christian exegesis.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'his sign remained by the tree of the house' (ወኀደረ ፡ ትዕይንቱ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ዕፅ ፡ ለበይት) is obscure; it may refer to a marker or monument left by the Kenites, but the exact meaning is uncertain.","The number of Barak's men is given as 'a thousand' (እልፍ ፡ ብእሲ), which differs from the biblical account of ten thousand; this may be a textual variant or scribal error."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":20,"ref":"p20","source":"ወአደንገፆ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለሲሳራ ፡ ወለኵሉ ፡ ሰረገላቲሁ ፡ ወለኵሉ ፡ ትዕይንቱ ፡ አውደቆሙ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ ባረቅ ፡\nበአፈ ፡ ኀፂን ፡ ወወረደ ፡ ሲሳራ ፡ እምነ ፡ ሰረገላቲሁ ፡ ወጐየ ፡ በእግሩ ።\n\nወዴገነ ፡ ባረቅ ፡ ወተለወ ፡ ሰረገላቲሁ ፡ ወዴገነ ፡ ትዕይንቶ ፡ እስከ ፡ ሐቅለ ፡ አሕዛብ ፡ ወሞተ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ትዕይንተ\n፡ ሲሳራ ፡ በአፈ ፡ ኀፂን ፡ ወኢተርፈ ፡ ወኢአሐዱ ።\n\nወሲሳራሰ ፡ ጐየ ፡ በእግሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ትዕይንተ ፡ ኢያኤል ፡ ብእሲተ ፡ ካቤር ፡ ካልኡ ፡ ለቄኔው ፡ እስመ ፡ ሰላም ፡\nውእቱ ፡ ማእከሎሙ ፡ ለኢየቢን ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ [አሶር ፡] ወማእከለ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ካቤር ፡ ቄንያዊ ።\n\nወወፅአት ፡ ኢያኤል ፡ ወተቀበለቶ ፡ ለሲሳራ ፡ ወትቤሎ ፡ ገሐሥ ፡ እግዚእየ ፡ ገሐሥ ፡ ኀቤየ ፡ ወኢትፍራህ ፡ ወግሕሠ ፡\nኀቤሃ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ደብተራ ፡ ወከደነቶ ፡ ሠቀ ።\n\nወይቤላ ፡ ሲሳራ ፡ አስትይኒ ፡ ንስቲተ ፡ ማየ ፡ እስመ ፡ ጸማእኩ ፡ ወፈትሐት ፡ ስእረ ፡ ሐሊብ ፡ ወአስተየቶ ፡\nወከደነቶ ፡ ገጾ ።","english":"And the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and all his army into confusion, casting them down before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera descended from his chariot and fled on foot.\n\nAnd Barak pursued, and his chariots were scattered, and his army was pursued as far as the plain of the peoples, and all the army of Sisera died by the edge of the sword, and none remained, not even one.\n\nBut Sisera fled on foot into the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between him and the sons of Jabin, king of Hazor, and between the house of Heber the Kenite.\n\nAnd Jael went out and received Sisera, and she said to him, \"Enter, my lord, enter to me, and do not fear.\" And he entered to her into the tent, and she covered him with a cloak.\n\nAnd Sisera said to her, \"Give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.\" And she opened a skin of milk and gave him to drink, and she covered his face.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez describes Sisera's army being thrown into confusion and destroyed by the sword, closely following the biblical narrative of Judges 4:15-16.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ኀፂን","severity":"info","text":"The term 'ኀፂን' (sword) is used idiomatically in the phrase 'በአፈ ኀፂን' (by the edge of the sword), a common biblical expression for total defeat.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ኢያኤል","severity":"info","text":"Jael (ኢያኤል) is a key figure in Judges 4, a Kenite woman who kills Sisera. The Geʿez text here describes her receiving Sisera into her tent, a prelude to the fatal act.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The episode of Jael giving Sisera milk instead of water (here a skin of milk) parallels the Masoretic text (Judges 4:19) and the Septuagint, though the Geʿez adds the detail of covering his face.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a narrative unit within the larger story of Deborah and Barak, transitioning from the battlefield to Jael's tent, marking a shift from military to domestic setting.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez phrase 'ሐቅለ አሕዛብ' (plain of the peoples) is ambiguous: it may refer to a specific location or be a general term for the battlefield."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":21,"ref":"p21","source":"ወይቤላ ፡ ቁሚ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ኆኅተ ፡ ደብተራ ፡ ወእመቦ ፡ ዘመጽአ ፡ ኀቤኪ ፡ ወይቤለኪ ፡ ቦ ፡ ዘሀለወ ፡ ዝየ ፡ ብእሲ ፡\nበሊ ፡ አልቦ ፡ ወከደነቶ ፡ ሠቀ ።\n\nወነሥአት ፡ ኢያኤል ፡ ብእሲተ ፡ ካቤር ፡ መትከለ ፡ ደብተራ ፡ ወእብነ ፡ በካልእት ፡ እዴሃ ፡ ወቦአት ፡ ኀቤሁ ፡\nወጸቀወቶ ፡ ወተከለት ፡ ውእተ ፡ መትከለ ፡ ውስተ ፡ መልታሕቱ ፡ ወጐድአቶ ፡ እስከ ፡ ፀመረቶ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ምድር ፡ ወተራገፀ\n፡ ውእቱ ፡ ማእከለ ፡ እገሪሃ ፡ ወተሰጥሐ ፡ ወሞተ ።\n\nወበጽሐ ፡ ባረቅ ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይዴግኖ ፡ ለሲሳራ ፡ ወወፅአት ፡ ኢያኤል ፡ ወተቀበለቶ ፡ ለባረቅ ፡ ወትቤሎ ፡ ነዐ ፡\nወኣርእየከ ፡ ብእሴ ፡ ዘተኀሥሥ ፡ ወቦአ ፡ ኀቤሃ ፡ ወረከቦ ፡ ለሲሳራ ፡ ውዱቀ ፡ በድኖ ፡ ወመትከል ፡ ውስተ ፡ መልታሕቱ ።\n\nወአኅሰሮ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለኢያቢን ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ ከናአን ፡ በይእቲ ፡ ዕለት ፡ በቅድሜሆሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ።\n\nወሖረት ፡ እዴሁ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ ምስለ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወሖረት ፡ ወጸንዐት ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ኢያቢን ፡ ንጉሠ ፡\nከናአን ፡ እስከ ፡ አጥፍኦ ።","english":"And she said, \"Stand at the entrance of the tent of Deborah, and when he who came to you says to you, 'Is there any man here?' say, 'There is none,' and she hid him under a rug.\"\n\nAnd Jael, the wife of Heber, took the peg of Deborah's tent and a stone in her other hand, and she went to him, and she approached him, and she placed that peg into his temple, and she struck him until she fixed him to the ground, and he writhed between her feet, and he was stretched out and died.\n\nAnd Barak arrived while pursuing Sisera, and Jael went out and received Barak, and she said to him, \"Come, and I will show you the man you seek.\" And he went to her, and he found Sisera fallen dead, with a peg in his temple.\n\nAnd the Lord humiliated Jabin, king of Canaan, on that day before the children of Israel.\n\nAnd the hand of the Lord went with the children of Israel, and it went and prevailed over Jabin, king of Canaan, until it destroyed him.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"መትከለ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term መትከለ (mätkälä) here means 'peg' or 'tent-peg', a key object in Jael's killing of Sisera. The same word is used for the tent-peg of Deborah.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤላ ፡ ቁሚ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ኆኅተ ፡ ደብተራ","severity":"info","text":"This passage closely follows Judges 4:18-22, where Jael deceives Sisera and kills him with a tent-peg. The Geʿez version adds detail about hiding him under a rug.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ኢያኤል","severity":"info","text":"Jael (ኢያኤል) is a Kenite woman whose action against Sisera is celebrated in the Song of Deborah (Judges 5). The Geʿez text follows the prose account in Judges 4.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአኅሰሮ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The passage concludes with a theological summary: the Lord humiliated Jabin and prevailed over him. This mirrors the pattern in Judges where divine agency frames military victory.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ኢያኤል","severity":"info","text":"In Ethiopic tradition, Jael is often seen as a type of the righteous woman who defeats evil, and her story is read as part of the continuous narrative of God's deliverance of Israel.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez phrase ከደነቶ ፡ ሠቀ (kädänäto śäqa) is ambiguous: it could mean 'she hid him under a rug' or 'she covered him with a cloth'. The English draft takes the former.","The identity of 'Deborah' (ደብተራ) is ambiguous: it may refer to the prophetess Deborah or to a place name; the text treats it as a person's tent."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":22,"ref":"p22","source":"Judices 5\n\n5\nወኀለየት ፡ ዴቦራ ፡ ወባረቅ ፡ በይእቲ ፡ ዕለት ፡ ወትቤ ፡ እንዘ ፡ ተኀሊ ።\n\nሶበ ፡ አኀዙ ፡ መሳፍንተ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ በሕሊና ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ይባርክዎ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ።\n\nስምዑ ፡ ነገሥት ፡ ወአጽምዑ ፡ መኳንንተ ፡ ጽኑዓን ፡ አንሰ ፡ አኀሊ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ [አምላከ ፡] እስራኤል ።\n\nእግዚኦ ፡ በፀአትከ ፡ እምነ ፡ ሴይር ፡ ሶበ ፡ ተንሣእከ ፡ እምነ ፡ ሐቅለ ፡ ኤዶም ፡ ምድር ፡ አድለቅለቀት ፡ ወሰማይ\n፡ ደንገፀት ፡ ወደመናትኒ ፡ አንጠብጠ[ቡ] ፡ ማ[የ] ።\n\nወአድባር ፡ ተከውሱ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ዝንቱ ፡ ሲና ፡ እምቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ አምላከ ፡ እስራኤል\n።\n\nበመዋዕለ ፡ ሴሜጌር ፡ ወልደ ፡ ቄነት ፡ ወበመዋዕለ ፡ ኢያኤል ፡ ኀልቁ ፡ ነገሥት ፡ ወሖሩ ፡ ፍናዌ ፡ መብእሰ ፡ ፍናዌ\n፡ ግፍቱኣተ ።\n\nወኀልቁ ፡ መፈክራን ፡ እምነ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወኀልቁ ፡ [እስከ ፡] ተንሥአት ፡ ዴቦራ ፡ እስ[ከ] ፡ ቆመት ፡ እም ፡\nለእስራኤል ።","english":"Judges 5\n\n5\n\nAnd Deborah and Barak sang on that day, and she spoke while she sang.\n\nWhen the leaders of Israel took counsel, the people blessed the Lord.\n\nHear, O kings, and listen, O mighty princes; I sing to the Lord, the God of Israel.\n\nO Lord, when you went out from Seir, when you arose from the field of Edom, the earth trembled and the sky shook, and the clouds dripped water.\n\nAnd the mountains were shaken before the Lord; this is Sinai before the Lord, the God of Israel.\n\nIn the days of Shamgar son of Anath, and in the days of Jael, the kings perished, and they went the way of the entrance of the way of the mighty.\n\nAnd the fortresses of Israel perished, until Deborah arose, until she stood as a mother for Israel.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Judices 5","severity":"info","text":"The passage is headed by the chapter number 5, indicating a new canticle within the Ethiopic Judges, corresponding to the Song of Deborah.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ዴቦራ","severity":"info","text":"Deborah is the prophetess and judge who leads Israel; her name is rendered consistently in Geʿez as ዴቦራ.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ባረቅ","severity":"info","text":"Barak is the military commander who accompanies Deborah; the Geʿez form ባረቅ reflects the Hebrew בָּרָק.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ሴሜጌር ወልደ ቄነት","severity":"info","text":"Shamgar son of Anath is a minor judge mentioned in Judges 3:31; the Geʿez form ሴሜጌር reflects the Hebrew שַׁמְגַּר.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ሴይር","severity":"info","text":"Seir is a region associated with Edom; the reference to the Lord going out from Seir echoes the theophany tradition in Deuteronomy 33:2.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"እስከ ተንሥአት ዴቦራ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'until Deborah arose' may be textually corrupt; the Geʿez shows a lacuna with እስ[ከ], and the sense of 'stood as a mother' is interpretive.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'way of the entrance of the way of the mighty' is obscure; it may refer to the path of the defeated kings or a textual corruption.","The identity of 'Jael' in line 6 is ambiguous: it could refer to the woman who killed Sisera or a different figure."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":23,"ref":"p23","source":"ወሠምሩ ፡ በአማልክተ ፡ ከንቱ ፡ ከመ ፡ ኅብስተ ፡ ስገም ፡ ሶበ ፡ ይከድንዎ ፡ ውዕዩ ፡ አርማሕ ፡ አርባዕቱ ፡ እልፍ ፡\nአርማሕ ።\n\nልብየሰ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ዘትእዛዞ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ኀያላኒሆሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ባርክዎ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ።\n\nእለ ፡ ትጼዐኑ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ አእዱግ ፡ [ፅዕድዋን ፡] ወትነብሩ ፡ በውስተ ፡ ብርሃን ፡ ንብቡ ፡ ቃለክሙ ።\n\nወሰንቅዉ ፡ ማእከለ ፡ ፍሡሓን ፡ ወበህየ ፡ ይሁቡ ፡ ጽድቀ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ ወጽድቀ ፡ [አጽ]ንዐ ፡ በውስተ ፡\nእስራኤል ፡ ወይእተ ፡ አሚረ ፡ ወረደ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አህጉሪሁ ፡ ሕዝበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ።\n\nተንሥኢ ፡ ዴቦራ ፡ ወአንሥኢ ፡ አእላፈ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ተንሥኢ ፡ ተንሥኢ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ማኅሌት ፡ ወበኀይል ፡ ተንሥእ\n፡ ባረቅ ፡ ወጸንዒዮ ፡ ዴቦራ ፡ ለባረቅ ፡ ወፄውው ፡ ፄዋከ ፡ ባረቅ ፡ ወልደ ፡ አቢኔሔም ፡ ከመ ፡ አመ ፡ ዐብየ ፡ ኀይሉ\n።\n\nእግዚኦ ፡ አድክሞሙ ፡ ሊተ ፡ ለእለ ፡ ይጸንዑኒ ።","english":"And they worshipped false gods as if they were loaves of bread when they hid them; see the four thousand cubits, the cubits.\n\nBut my heart is in the command of Israel; their strong ones blessed the Lord for Israel.\n\nThose who cry out over the mountains [their cry] and dwell in the light, speak your word.\n\nAnd they placed a snare among the joyful, and there they will give justice to the Lord and justice [to] the people in Israel; and this she said, and she descended into the cities of the people of the Lord.\n\nDeborah arose and raised up thousands with the people; she arose, she arose with the song, and with strength arose Barak; and Deborah strengthened Barak, and they went, the strength of Barak, son of Abinoam, as when his power was great.\n\nO Lord, deliver me from those who oppress me.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"አርማሕ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term አርማሕ (ʾarmāḥ) is a loanword from Greek πῆχυς, meaning 'cubit' (a unit of length). Its repetition here ('four thousand cubits, the cubits') may reflect a textual corruption or a liturgical doubling.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወሠምሩ ፡ በአማልክተ ፡ ከንቱ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'they worshipped false gods' echoes the biblical condemnation of idolatry found in Judges 2:11–13 and 1 Kings 18:21, where Israel turns to foreign gods. The Geʿez አማልክተ ከንቱ (ʾamālkəta kantu) literally means 'gods of falsehood'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is part of the Song of Deborah (Judges 5), but the Geʿez version inserts a narrative interlude ('Deborah arose and raised up thousands...') that is not present in the Masoretic Text, suggesting a conflation of prose and poetic traditions.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"አርባዕቱ ፡ እልፍ ፡ አርማሕ","severity":"info","text":"The mention of 'four thousand cubits' may refer to a measurement of the battlefield or a symbolic number. In Ethiopic tradition, numbers often carry allegorical weight; 4,000 could represent the four cardinal directions or the four rivers of Paradise.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The final plea 'O Lord, deliver me from those who oppress me' is not found in the biblical Song of Deborah. It may be a liturgical addition, reflecting the Ethiopic Christian practice of inserting personal petitions into scriptural canticles.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'አርማሕ ፡ አርባዕቱ ፡ እልፍ ፡ አርማሕ' is ambiguous: it may be a scribal dittography or a deliberate emphasis on the measurement.","The identity of 'those who cry out over the mountains' is unclear; it could refer to the Canaanite forces or to Israelite scouts.","The clause 'they placed a snare among the joyful' is obscure; 'joyful' may be a euphemism for the enemy or a reference to a specific group."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":24,"ref":"p24","source":"ሕዝበ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ (ወ)ቀሰፎሙ ፡ በውስተ ፡ ቈላት ፤ እኁከ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ በሕዝብከ ፤ እምኔየ ፡ ማኪር ፡ ወረዱ ፡\nይፍትኑ ፡ ወእምነ ፡ ዛቡሎን ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ይፀብእ ፡ ሊተ ፡ ወእምነ ፡ ኀያላን ፡ እምህየ ፡ [በበ]ትረ ፡ ኀይለ ፡ ነገር\n።\n\nወእምውስተ ፡ ይሳኮር ፡ ምስለ ፡ ዴቦራ ፡ ፈነወ ፡ አጋርያኒሁ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቈላት ፡ ከመ ፡ ትንበር ፡ አንተ ፡ ማእከለ ፡\nከናፍር ፡ ወሰፍሐ ፡ በእገሪሁ ፡ ናፍቆ ፡ ሮቤል ፤ ዐቢይ ፡ ጥይቅና ፡ ልቡ ።\n\nለምንት ፡ ሊተ ፡ ትነብር ፡ ማእከለ ፡ ሞሶጴተም ፡ ከመ ፡ ታጽምእ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይትፋጸዩ ፡ እለ ፡ ይትነሥኡ ፡ ከመ ፡\nይኅልፉ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ዘሮቤል ።\n\nዐቢይ ፡ አሰረ ፡ ልቡ ፡ ለገላአድ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ማዕዶተ ፡ ዮርዳንስ ፡ ኀደረ ፤ ወዳን ፡ ለምንት ፡ ይነብር ፡ ውስተ ፡\nአሕማር ፤ ወአሴርሰ ፡ ነበረ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሐይቀ ፡ ባሕር ፡ ወውስተ ፡ ወሰኑ ፡ ነበረ ።\n\nዛቡሎን ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ዘዐየረ ፡ ነፍሶ ፡ ለሞት ፡ ወንፍታሌም ፡ ውስተ ፡ መልዕልተ ፡ ሐቅል ።","english":"The people of Ephraim, and he scattered them in the valleys. Your brother Benjamin is among your people. From me, Makir, they descended to test, and from Zebulun, the Lord will fight for me. And from the strong ones, from there, [in] the house of strength of the word.\n\nAnd from within Issachar, with Deborah, he sent his messengers into the valleys, so that you might dwell in the midst of the lips, and he spread out with his feet, the remnant of Reuben. Great is the folly of his heart.\n\nWhy do you dwell for me in the midst of Mesopotamia, as if to thirst, so that those who rise up may be reconciled, as they pass through into Reuben?\n\nGreat is the binding of his heart for Gilead; he dwelt in the fords of the Jordan. And Dan, why does he dwell in the wilderness? And Asher also dwelt in the bay of the sea, and he dwelt in the region.\n\nZebulun is a people who sold his soul to death, and Naphtali is in the heights of the field.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ሕዝበ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ (ወ)ቀሰፎሙ ፡ በውስተ ፡ ቈላት","severity":"info","text":"The passage lists tribal groups (Ephraim, Benjamin, Makir, Zebulun, Issachar, Reuben, Gilead, Dan, Asher, Naphtali) in a series of short clauses, typical of the work's catalog-like style.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ማእከለ ፡ ሞሶጴተም","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'midst of Mesopotamia' likely refers to the region between the Tigris and Euphrates, possibly alluding to a tradition of Reuben's exile or wandering.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ዛቡሎን ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ዘዐየረ ፡ ነፍሶ ፡ ለሞት","severity":"info","text":"The description of Zebulun as a people who 'sold his soul to death' may echo Judges 5:18, where the tribe of Zebulun is praised for risking death in battle against Sisera.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ዐቢይ ፡ አሰረ ፡ ልቡ ፡ ለገላአድ","severity":"info","text":"Gilead is a region east of the Jordan, and the 'binding of his heart for Gilead' may reflect a tradition of tribal attachment to that territory, possibly linked to the Transjordanian tribes.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወእምውስተ ፡ ይሳኮር ፡ ምስለ ፡ ዴቦራ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'from within Issachar, with Deborah' is ambiguous: it may refer to the prophetess Deborah (Judges 4-5) or to a different figure, as the syntax is unclear.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ሮቤል","severity":"info","text":"Reuben is mentioned twice, once as 'remnant of Reuben' and once as a place of passage, possibly reflecting a tradition of Reuben's tribe being diminished or scattered.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Deborah' is uncertain: it could be the biblical judge or a different figure.","The phrase 'house of strength of the word' (በበትረ ፡ ኀይለ ፡ ነገር) is obscure and may be corrupt.","The reference to 'Mesopotamia' in connection with Reuben is unclear in context."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":25,"ref":"p25","source":"ወመጽኡ ፡ ነገሥት ፡ ወተቃተሉ ፡ ወይእተ ፡ አሚረ ፡ ተቃተሉ ፡ ነገሥተ ፡ ከናአን ፡ በተናኅ ፡ በኀበ ፡ ማየ ፡ መጌዶ ፡\nወኢነሥ[ኡ] ፡ በትእግልት ፡ ብሩረ ።\n\nወበሰማይ ፡ ተፃብኡ ፡ ከዋክብት ፡ እምነ ፡ ቀትሎሙ ፡ ወተቃተሉ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ሲሳራ ።\n\nወአውፅኦሙ ፡ ፈለገ ፡ ቂሶን ፡ ወፈለገ ፡ ቀዴሚን ፡ ወቀተሎ ፡ ፈለገ ፡ ቂሶን ፤ ነፍስየ ፡ ጽንዒ ።\n\nወይእተ ፡ አሚረ ፡ ተቀጥቀጠ ፡ ሰኰና ፡ አፍራሲሆሙ ፡ ለአማዳሮት ።\n\nወኀያላኒሁ ፡ ይረግም[ዋ] ፡ ለማዞር ፡ ወይቤ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ በመርገም ፡ ርግምዎሙ ፡ ለእለ ፡ ውስተ ፡\nአብያቲሃ ፡ እስመ ፡ ኢመጽኡ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ረድኤተ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ እምነ ፡ መስተቃትላን ፡ ጽኑዓን ።\n\nቡርክተ ፡ ትኩን ፡ እምነ ፡ አንስት ፡ ኢያኤል ፡ ብእሲተ ፡ [ካቤር ፡] ቄንያዊ ፡ እምነ ፡ አንስት ፡ ቡርክት ፡ በውስተ\n፡ ደብተራ ።\n\nማየ ፡ ሰአለ ፡ ወሐሊበ ፡ ወሀበቶ ፡ ወበዐይገን ፡ ዐቢይ ፡ አቅረበት ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ዕቋነ ።","english":"And the kings came and fought, and that Amira fought the kings of Canaan in the valley at the waters of Megiddo. And they rose up in rebellion with pure silver.\n\nAnd in the sky the stars were scattered from their slaughter, and they fought with Sisera.\n\nAnd the river Kishon swept them away, and the river Qademin, and the river Kishon killed them. My soul, be strong!\n\nAnd that Amira was shaken, the hooves of their horses for the chariots.\n\nAnd his strong ones curse the turning, and the angel of the Lord said, \"Curse with a curse those who are within her houses, for they have come into the help of the Lord from among the strong warriors.\"\n\nBlessed among women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, blessed among women in the tent.\n\nShe asked for water and milk, and she gave it to him, and with a great peg she brought a hammer to him.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ማየ ፡ መጌዶ","severity":"info","text":"The waters of Megiddo (Geʿez: ማየ መጌዶ) refer to the plain of Megiddo, a famous battlefield in Canaan. This location is associated with the Song of Deborah (Judges 5), where the battle against Sisera occurs.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአውፅኦሙ ፡ ፈለገ ፡ ቂሶን","severity":"info","text":"The river Kishon sweeping away the enemy echoes Judges 5:21, where the Kishon sweeps away Sisera's army. The Geʿez text adds the river Qademin, not in the biblical account, possibly a local tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ኢያኤል","severity":"info","text":"Jael (Geʿez: ኢያኤል) is the wife of Heber the Kenite, who kills Sisera by driving a tent peg through his head. The text calls her 'blessed among women,' paralleling Judges 5:24.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ቡርክተ ፡ ትኩን ፡ እምነ ፡ አንስት","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'blessed among women' introduces a doxological formula, marking a shift from narrative to praise. This structural unit mirrors the Song of Deborah's exaltation of Jael.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ወበሰማይ ፡ ተፃብኡ ፡ ከዋክብት","severity":"info","text":"The image of stars scattered in the sky from slaughter is a poetic embellishment not in the biblical text. It reflects Ethiopic exegetical tradition, possibly influenced by apocalyptic literature.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወኢነሥ[ኡ] ፡ በትእግልት ፡ ብሩረ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'they rose up in rebellion with pure silver' is obscure. 'Pure silver' (ብሩረ) may be a corruption or a metaphor for bribery or purity of intent; the sense is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Amira' (አሚረ) is unclear; it may be a title or a proper name, possibly a corruption of 'Deborah' or another leader.","The river Qademin (ቀዴሚን) is unattested in biblical sources; it may be a scribal error or a local geographical name.","The phrase 'curse the turning' (ይረግም[ዋ] ለማዞር) is syntactically ambiguous; the angel's speech may be directed at those who aid the enemy."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":26,"ref":"p26","source":"ወበእዴሃ ፡ እንተ ፡ ፀጋም ፡ ተመጠወት ፡ መትከለ ፡ ወበየማና ፡ ጐድአት ፡ ወቀተለቶ ፡ ለሲሳፌ ፡ ወቀጥቀጠቶ ፡ ርእሶ ፡\nወደመቀቶ ፡ መልታሕቶ ።\n\nወተራገፀ ፡ በማእከለ ፡ እገሪሃ ፡ ወበኀበ ፡ ተራገፀ ፡ በህየ ፡ ኀስረ ።\n\nወእንተ ፡ መስኮት ፡ ትኄውጽ ፡ እሙ ፡ ለሲሳራ ፡ እንተ ፡ ሠቅሠቅ ፡ ትሬኢ ፡ እመቦ ፡ ዘገብአ ፡ እምኀበ ፡ ሲሳራ ፡\nወበበይነ ፡ ምንት ፡ ተደኀረ ፡ ሰረገላሁ ፡ ለሲሳራ ፡ በጺሐ ፡ ወበበይነ ፡ ምንት ፡ ጐንደያ ፡ እግረ ፡ ሰረገላቲሁ ።\n\nጠቢባተ ፡ መልአካ ፡ ላቲ ፡ (ወ)አውሥኣሃ ፡ ወእማንቱሴ ፡ አውሥኣሃ ፡ በከመ ፡ ቃላ ።\n\nአኮኑ ፡ ረከባሁ ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይከፍል ፡ ምህርካ ፡ ወይትዓረክ ፡ አዕርክቱ ፡ በላዕለ ፡ አርእስቲሆሙ ፡ ለኀያላን ፡ በርበረ\n፡ ሕብር ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ሲሳራ ፡ በርበረ ፡ ሕብር ፡ ወዘዘዚአሁ ፡ ጥምዐተ ፡ ሕበሪሁ ፡ ወዐሥቅ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ክሣዱ ፡ ዘበርበረ ።\n\nከማሁ ፡ ለይትሐጐሉ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ ፀርከ ፡ እግዚኦ ፡ ወእለሰ ፡ ያፈቅሩከ ፡ ከመ ፡ ሠርቀ ፡ ፀሓይ ፡ በኀይሉ ። ወአዕረፈት\n፡ ምድር ፡ ፵ዓመ ።","english":"And in her left hand, the one with the sword, she grasped the peg, and in her right hand the hammer, and she struck Sisera, and she crushed his head, and she pierced his temple.\n\nAnd he fell between her legs, and where he fell, there he perished.\n\nAnd the mother of Sisera looked out through the window, the one who peers through the lattice, saying, \"Where is the one who came from Sisera? And why is his chariot delayed? Why has the wheel of Sisera's chariot arrived late? And why are the feet of his chariots stumbling?\"\n\nThe angel of the Lord answered her, and who answered her with a voice?\n\nDid he not find you while he was dividing your share, and his companions were lying down upon the heads of the mighty? A barbarian band is Sisera, a barbarian band, and his adornment is the ornament of his band, and a chain upon his neck, which is barbaric.\n\nLikewise, may all your enemies be destroyed, O Lord, and those who love you, like the rising of the sun in its strength. And the land rested for forty years.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወበእዴሃ ፡ እንተ ፡ ፀጋም ፡ ተመጠወት ፡ መትከለ ፡ ወበየማና ፡ ጐድአት","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from the preceding battle narrative to the specific episode of Jael killing Sisera, a distinct unit within the Judges cycle.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ለሲሳፌ","severity":"info","text":"The name Sisera (ሲሳፌ) corresponds to the Canaanite commander in Judges 4–5, whose death at the hands of Jael is recounted.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ጠቢባተ ፡ መልአካ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'angel of the Lord' (ጠቢባተ መልአካ) reflects a common Geʿez rendering of the Hebrew מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה, often used in Ethiopic biblical paraphrases.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ወእንተ ፡ መስኮት ፡ ትኄውጽ ፡ እሙ ፡ ለሲሳራ","severity":"info","text":"The image of Sisera's mother looking through a window parallels Judges 5:28, where she awaits his return, a detail expanded in the Ethiopic tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአዕረፈት ፡ ምድር ፡ ፵ዓመ","severity":"info","text":"The concluding note that 'the land rested for forty years' aligns with the period of peace after Deborah's victory, a chronological marker in Ethiopic historiography.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"በርበረ ፡ ሕብር","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'barbarian band' (በርበረ ሕብር) is ambiguous; it may refer to Sisera's foreign troops or be a rhetorical epithet, and the Geʿez text shows possible scribal repetition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'that Amira' in the preceding passage is unclear; it may refer to Deborah or another figure.","The phrase 'barbarian band' (በርበረ ሕብር) is repeated, possibly due to scribal error or emphasis."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":27,"ref":"p27","source":"Judices 6\n\n6\nወገብሩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ እኩየ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወአግብኦሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ውስተ ፡ እደ ፡ ምድያም ፡\nሰብዐተ ፡ ዓመተ ።\n\nወጸንዐት ፡ እዴሆሙ ፡ ለምድያም ፡ ላዕለ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወገብሩ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ [ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ቅድመ ፡] ምድያም ፡\nበዐታተ ፡ ወአጽዋናተ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አድባር ፡ ወውስተ ፡ አጽዳፍ ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ይዘርኡ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ የዐርጉ ፡ ምድያም ፡ ወዐማሌቅ ፡ ወደቀ ፡ ጽባሕ ፡ የዐርጉ ፡ ላዕሌሆሙ\n።\n\nወይትዐየኑ ፡ ዲቤሆሙ ፡ ወያመስኑ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ ፍሬ ፡ ገራውሂሆሙ ፡ እስከ ፡ ይበጽሑ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ጋዛን ፡ ወኢያተርፉ ፡ ሎሙ\n፡ ምንተኒ ፡ በዘ ፡ የሐይዉ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ወመራዕይሆሙኒ ፡ ወላህሞሙ ፡ ወአድጎሙ ።\n\nእስመ ፡ የዐርጉ ፡ ላዕሌሆሙ ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ ወእንስሳሆሙ ፡ ወተዓይኒሆሙ ፡ ያመጽኡ ፡ ወይበጽሕዎሙ ፡ ከመ ፡ አንበጣ ፡\nብዝኆሙ ፡ ወአልቦሙ ፡ ኍልቈ ፡ ኢእሙንቱ ፡ ወኢአግማላቲሆሙ ፡ ወይመጽኡ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድረ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ከመ ፡ ያማስንዋ ።","english":"And the children of Israel did evil before the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years.\n\nAnd the hand of Midian grew strong over Israel, and the children of Israel did evil before Midian, with tributes and offerings in the mountains and in the caves.\n\nAnd then, when the men of Israel sowed, the Midianites and Amalekites would come up, and at dawn they would come up against them.\n\nAnd they would oppress them and take from them the fruit of their labor until they reached Gaza, and they left them nothing by which the Israelites might live, neither their cattle, nor their sheep, nor their donkeys.\n\nFor they would come up against them, they and their animals and their beasts, and they would come like locusts in their multitude, and there was no number of them, nor of their camels, and they would come into the land of Israel to lay it waste.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Judices 6","severity":"info","text":"This passage is numbered as chapter 6 in the Geʿez text, corresponding to Judges 6:1 in the biblical sequence, though the content here aligns with the Midianite oppression narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወገብሩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ እኩየ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'the children of Israel did evil before the Lord' echoes Judges 6:1, where Israel's disobedience leads to divine punishment via Midianite oppression.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ምድያም","severity":"info","text":"Midianites and Amalekites are depicted as raiders who exploit Israel's agricultural cycle, a motif common in the Deuteronomistic history to illustrate cyclical oppression.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ጋዛን","severity":"info","text":"Gaza (ጋዛን) is a Philistine city, mentioned here as the southern limit of Midianite incursions, reflecting the geopolitical scope of the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ከመ ፡ አንበጣ","severity":"info","text":"The simile 'like locusts' for invading forces is a biblical trope (cf. Judges 6:5, Joel 1:4), emphasizing overwhelming numbers and devastation.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወገብሩ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ [ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ቅድመ ፡] ምድያም","severity":"caution","text":"The bracketed phrase in the Geʿez is a scribal repetition or interpolation, possibly a dittography from the preceding line, and is omitted in the English draft.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text includes a repeated phrase 'ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ቅድመ' which may be a scribal error; the English draft omits it, following the sense of the narrative.","The reference to Gaza as a boundary for Midianite raids is geographically plausible but may reflect later editorial expansion."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":28,"ref":"p28","source":"ወነድዩ ፡ [ጥቀ ፡] እስራኤል ፡ እምቅድመ ፡ ምድያም ፡ ወገዐሩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ።\n\nወሶበ ፡ ጸርሑ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ በእንተ ፡ ምድያም ፤\n\nፈነወ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ብእሴ ፡ ነቢየ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ከመዝ ፡ ይቤ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡\nአምላከ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ አነ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ዘአውጻእኩክሙ ፡ እምነ ፡ ግብጽ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ቅኔት ።\n\nወአድኀንኩክሙ ፡ እምነ ፡ እዴሆሙ ፡ ለግብጽ ፡ ወእምነ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ [ዘ]ይሣቅዩክሙ ፡ ወአውፃእክዎሙ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቅድመ ፡\nገጽክሙ ፡ ወወሀብኩክሙ ፡ ምድሮሙ ።\n\nወእቤለክሙ ፡ አነ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ (ወ)አምላክክሙ ፡ ወኢትፍርሁ ፡ እምነ ፡ አማልክተ ፡ አሞሬዎን ፡ እሉ ፡\nእለ ፡ ትነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድሮሙ ፡ አንትሙ ፡ ወኢሰማዕክሙ ፡ ቃልየ ።\n\nወመጽአ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወነበረ ፡ ታሕተ ፡ ዕፅ ፡ እንተ ፡ ኤፍራታ(ስ) ፡ ዘኢዮአስ ፡ አቡሁ ፡ ለኢየዝሪ ፤\nወጌድዮን ፡ ወልዱ ፡ ይዘብጥ ፡ ስርናየ ፡ በውስተ ፡ ዐውዱ ፡ ከመ ፡ ያምስጥ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቅድሜሆሙ ፡ ለምድያም ።","english":"And the children of Israel did greatly evil before Midian, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.\n\nAnd when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord because of Midian,\n\nthe Lord sent them a man, a prophet, to the children of Israel, and he said to them thus: Thus says the Lord,\n\nthe God of Israel: I am he who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.\n\nAnd I saved you from the hands of the Egyptians and from all who would mock you, and I brought them out from before your face and gave you their land.\n\nAnd I say to you: I am the Lord and your God, and do not fear the gods of the Amorites, those who dwell in their land where you are, and do not heed my word.\n\nAnd the angel of the Lord came and sat under the tree of Ephratah, which belonged to Joash, the father of Gideon; and Gideon, his son, was threshing wheat in his threshing-floor, so as to hide it from the face of the Midianites.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ጥቀ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez ጥቀ (ṭəq̇a) is an adverb meaning 'greatly' or 'very', intensifying the evil done by Israel. The English draft omits this intensifier.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"እምነ ፡ ግብጽ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ቅኔት","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage' echoes Exodus 20:2 (LXX) and is a standard formula in Geʿez biblical paraphrase, recalling the foundational liberation narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢየዝሪ","severity":"info","text":"The name ኢየዝሪ (ʿUyāzri) is the Geʿez form of Gideon's father Joash, also known as Yoash. The tree of Ephratah (Ephraim) is a traditional site for the angelic visitation in Judges 6:11-12.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage transitions from a narrative of Israel's oppression (previous passage) to a divine response via a prophet, then to the angelic visitation under the tree, setting up Gideon's call. The shift is marked by the repeated cry to the Lord.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢትፍርሁ ፡ እምነ ፡ አማልክተ ፡ አሞሬዎን","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez text has 'do not fear the gods of the Amorites', but the English draft reads 'do not fear the gods of the Amorites' and then adds 'and do not heed my word', which is a likely scribal or translation error; the Geʿez says 'and do not heed my word' (ኢሰማዕክሙ ፡ ቃልየ), which contradicts the context of divine reassurance.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'do not heed my word' (ኢሰማዕክሙ ፡ ቃልየ) is ambiguous: it may be a corruption or a deliberate rhetorical inversion, but the context suggests it should be 'heed my word'."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":29,"ref":"p29","source":"ወአስተርአዮ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ምስሌከ ፡ ጽኑዐ ፡ ኀይል ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ኦሆ ፡ እግዚኦ ፡ እግዚእየ ፡ ወእመሰ ፡ ሀለወ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ምስሌነ ፡ ለምንት ፡ ረከበተነ ፡\nኵላ ፡ ዛቲ ፡ እኪት ፡ ወአይቴ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ስብሐቲሁ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ዘነገሩነ ፡ አበዊነ ፡ ወይቤሉነ ፡ እምነ ፡ ግብጽ ፡\nአውጽኦሙ ፡ ለአበዊነ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወይእዜሰ ፡ ኀደገነ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወአግብአነ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እደ ፡ ምድያም ።\n\nወነጸሮ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ ሑር ፡ በኀይልከ ፡ ወታድኅኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ እምነ ፡ እደ ፡ ምድያም ፡\nወናሁ ፡ ፈኖኩከ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ኦሆ ፡ እግዚኦ ፡ በምንት ፡ ኣድኅኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ናሁ ፡ አእላፍየኒ ፡ ውሑዳን ፡ በውስተ ፡\nመናሴ ፡ ወአነኒ ፡ ንዑስ ፡ በቤተ ፡ አቡየ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ እስመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ሀለወ ፡ ምስሌከ ፡ ወትቀትሎሙ ፡ ለምድያም ፡ ከመ ፡ አሐዱ\n፡ ብእሲ ።","english":"And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, The Lord is with you, a strong power.\n\nAnd Gideon said to him, O my Lord, my Lord, and if the Lord is with us, why has all this evil befallen us? And where is all his glory, all that our fathers told us and said to us, The Lord brought our fathers out of Egypt? And now the Lord has abandoned us and delivered us into the hand of Midian.\n\nAnd the angel of the Lord looked at him and said to him, Go with your power, and you will save Israel from the hand of Midian. Behold, I have sent you.\n\nAnd Gideon said to him, O my Lord, how shall I save Israel? Behold, my thousands are few in the tribe of Manasseh, and I am young in my father’s house.\n\nAnd the angel of the Lord said to him, Because the Lord is with you, and you will kill the Midianites as one man.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The angel of the Lord appears to Gideon, a figure who in the biblical account (Judges 6:11–24) is often identified as a prophet or divine messenger, but here is explicitly called an angel.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"እግዚአብሔር ፡ ምስሌከ ፡ ጽኑዐ ፡ ኀይል","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'the Lord is with you, a strong power' echoes the biblical assurance in Judges 6:12, where the angel declares that the Lord is with Gideon, though the wording here is amplified.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ጌድዮን","severity":"info","text":"Gideon (Geʿez: Gedyon) is a judge of Israel whose story is told in Judges 6–8. The Geʿez version follows the biblical narrative but expands the dialogue, emphasizing Gideon’s doubt and the angel’s reassurance.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"እስራኤል ፡ እምነ ፡ እደ ፡ ምድያም","severity":"info","text":"The motif of deliverance from Midian parallels the Exodus from Egypt, as Gideon’s complaint contrasts the Lord’s past salvation with present abandonment, a theme unique to this Geʿez expansion.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a dialogue between Gideon and the angel, structured as a series of exchanges: angel’s promise, Gideon’s doubt, angel’s command, Gideon’s objection, and final reassurance. It advances the narrative toward Gideon’s call.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"In Ethiopic tradition, this expanded dialogue underscores Gideon’s humility and the angel’s role as a divine intermediary, reflecting a homiletic interest in theodicy and divine faithfulness.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether the 'angel of the Lord' is a distinct being or a prophetic figure; the translation takes it as an angel.","Gideon’s reference to 'my thousands' (አእላፍየኒ) is ambiguous: it may mean his troops or his clan; the reading here follows the English draft as 'my thousands'."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":30,"ref":"p30","source":"ወይቤሎ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ እመ ፡ ረከብኩ ፡ ሞገሰ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ አዕይንቲከ ፡ ግበር ፡ ሊተ ፡ ተአምረ ፡ ከመ ፡ አንተ ፡ ውእቱ\n፡ ዘትትናገር ፡ ምስሌየ ።\n\nኢትሑር ፡ እምዝየ ፡ እስከ ፡ እገብእ ፡ ኀቤከ ፡ ወኣመጽእ ፡ መሥዋዕትየ ፡ ወእሢም ፡ ቅድሜከ ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ አነ ፡ ውእቱ\n፡ ወእጸንሐከ ፡ እስከ ፡ ትገብእ ።\n\nወሖረ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ወገብረ ፡ ማሕሥአ ፡ ጠሊ ፡ ወዳፍንተ ፡ ናእት ፡ ወአንበረ ፡ ውእተ ፡ ሥጋ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ከፈር ፡\nወወደየ ፡ ዞሞ ፡ ውስተ ፡ መቅጹት ፡ ወወሰደ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ዕፅ ፡ ወሰገደ ፡ ሎቱ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ንሣእ ፡ ሥጋሁ ፡ ወኅብስተ ፡ ናእት ፡ ወሢም ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ኰኵሕ ፡ ወከዐው ፡ ዞሞ ፡\nወገብረ ፡ ከማሁ ።\n\nወአልዐለ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ በትሮ ፡ ወለከፎ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ ሥጋ ፡ ወለውእቱ ፡ ናእት ፡ ወነደደት ፡ እሳት ፡\nእምነ ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ኰኵሕ ፡ ወበልዐቶ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ ሥጋ ፡ ወለውእቱ ፡ ናእት ፡ ወሖረ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ እምነ ፡\nአዕይንቲሁ ።","english":"And Gideon said to him, If I have found favor before your eyes, perform a sign for me, that you are the one who speaks with me.\n\nWait for me here until I go to you and bring my offering and sacrifice before you. And he said to him, I am the one, and I will wait for you until you come.\n\nAnd Gideon went and prepared a young goat and unleavened bread, and placed that flesh in a basket and poured its juice into a cup, and brought it to the tree and worshipped it.\n\nAnd the angel of the Lord said to him, Lift up the flesh and the unleavened bread and place them upon the rock, and pour the juice. And he did likewise.\n\nAnd the angel of the Lord raised his staff and uncovered that flesh and that unleavened bread, and fire came forth from that rock and consumed that flesh and that unleavened bread. And the angel of the Lord departed from before his eyes.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the angelic dialogue and sacrificial test from the previous passage, forming a narrative unit that culminates in a theophanic fire miracle.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ማሕሥአ ጠሊ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase ማሕሥአ ጠሊ (maḥśǝʿa ṭāli) means 'young goat' and is a specific sacrificial animal, distinct from the generic 'offering' (መሥዋዕት) mentioned earlier.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ዳፍንተ ናእት","severity":"info","text":"ዳፍንተ ናእት (dafnat nāʿǝt) refers to 'unleavened bread', a term with ritual significance in Geʿez Christian tradition, often associated with Eucharistic or sacrificial contexts.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The offering of a young goat and unleavened bread, placed on a rock and consumed by fire from the rock, echoes sacrificial practices in the Hebrew Bible but is elaborated in this Ethiopic version with distinctive ritual details.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The angel's staff (በትሮ) uncovering the offering and causing fire from the rock parallels the rod of Moses in Exodus and other theophanic fire narratives in the Ethiopic tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is part of the Ethiopic Book of Judges, a work transmitted in Geʿez and preserved in manuscripts such as those cataloged in the Harvard Hollis system (e.g., hollis:alma990022646510203941).","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990022646510203941","label":"The text of the Ethiopic version of the Octateuch, with special reference to the age and value of the Haverford manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022646510203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'tree' (ዕፅ) Gideon worships is not specified; it may be a local cultic object or a narrative detail without clear biblical parallel.","The phrase 'juice' (ዞሞ) could refer to the goat's blood or a liquid offering; the text does not clarify."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":31,"ref":"p31","source":"ወአእመረ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ከመ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ወይቤ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ኦሆ ፡ እግዚኦ ፡ እስመ ፡ ርኢኩ ፡\nመልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ገጸ ፡ ቦገጽ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ሰላም ፡ ለከ ፡ ወኢትፍራህ ፡ ኢትመውት ።\n\nወነደቀ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ በህየ ፡ ምሥዋዐ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ ወሰመዮ ፡ ሰላመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ እስከ ፡ ዛቲ ፡ ዕለት ፡\nወእንዘ ፡ ዓዲሁ ፡ ሀለወ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኤፍራታ ፡ አቡሁ ፡ ለኤዝሪ ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ በይእቲ ፡ ሌሊት ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ንሣእ ፡ ላህመ ፡ መግዝአ ፡ ዘአቡከ ፡ [ወ]ካልአ ፡ ላህመ ፡\nዘሰብዐቱ ፡ ዓመት ፡ ወንሥት ፡ ምሥዋዖ ፡ ለበዓል ፡ ዘአቡከ ፡ ወምስለ ፡ ዘላዕሌሁ ፡ ስብር ።\n\nወንድቅ ፡ ቦቱ ፡ ምሥዋዐ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ አምላክከ ፡ ዘአስተርአየከ ፡ በውስተ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ማኦክ ፡ ዘበ ፡ ዝንቱ ፡\nደወል ፡ ወንሣእ ፡ ውእተ ፡ ካልአ ፡ ላህመ ፡ ወግበሮ ፡ መሥዋዕተ ፡ በውእቱ ፡ ዕፀው ፡ ዘሰበርከ ።","english":"And Gideon knew that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, O my Lord, for I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.\n\nAnd the Lord said to him, Peace be with you; do not fear, you will not die.\n\nAnd Gideon built there an altar to the Lord and called it the Peace of the Lord, until this day, while his father was still in Ephrata, the father of Ezra.\n\nAnd then, on that same night, the Lord said to him, Take the flesh of the bullock of your father, and another flesh of seven years, and take the altar of Baal of your father, and break it together with its grove.\n\nAnd build there an altar to the Lord, your God, who appeared to you on Mount Maok, in this place; and take that other flesh and make a sacrifice on that wood which you broke.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአእመረ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ከመ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ውእቱ","severity":"info","text":"The passage opens with Gideon's recognition of the angel, a narrative turning point that shifts from dialogue to divine instruction.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሰላመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The altar name 'Peace of the Lord' (ሰላመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር) is a Geʿez calque of the Hebrew 'Adonai Shalom,' linking to the biblical site of Gideon's altar in Judges 6:24.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ኤፍራታ","severity":"info","text":"Ephrata (ኤፍራታ) is identified as the father of Ezra, a genealogical note absent from the biblical Judges narrative, reflecting a later tradition that connects Gideon to Ezra's lineage.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ምሥዋዐ ፡ ለበዓል","severity":"info","text":"The command to destroy the altar of Baal (ምሥዋዐ ፡ ለበዓል) echoes Judges 6:25-26, where God instructs Gideon to tear down his father's Baal altar and build one to the Lord.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ደብረ ፡ ማኦክ","severity":"info","text":"Mount Maok (ደብረ ፡ ማኦክ) is a toponym not in the canonical Judges; it may derive from Ethiopic exegetical traditions localizing Gideon's theophany.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ላህመ ፡ ዘሰብዐቱ ፡ ዓመት","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'flesh of seven years' (ላህመ ፡ ዘሰብዐቱ ፡ ዓመት) is obscure; it may refer to a seven-year-old bullock or a ritual period, but the Geʿez syntax is ambiguous.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'father of Ezra' (ኤፍራታ ፡ አቡሁ ፡ ለኤዝሪ) is unclear; it may be a scribal gloss linking Gideon to the post-exilic figure Ezra.","The phrase 'flesh of seven years' (ላህመ ፡ ዘሰብዐቱ ፡ ዓመት) could be a temporal or age reference, but the intended meaning is uncertain."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":32,"ref":"p32","source":"ወነሥአ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ዐሠርተ ፡ ወሠለስተ ፡ ዕደወ ፡ እምነ ፡ አግብርቲሁ ፡ ወገብረ ፡ በከመ ፡ ይቤሎ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡\nወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ፈርሀ ፡ ቤተ ፡ አቡሁ ፡ [ወ]ሰብአ ፡ ሀገሩ ፡ በዊአ ፡ መዓልተ ፡ ወሌሊተ ፡ ይበውእ ።\n\nወጌሡ ፡ በጽባሕ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ወረከብዎ ፡ ንሡተ ፡ ለምሥዋዐ ፡ በዓል ፡ ወምስል ፡ ዘላዕሌሁ ፡ ስቡር ፡ ወላህም\n፡ መግዝእ ፡ ግቡር ፡ ቦቱ ፡ መሥዋዕተ ፡ በውስተ ፡ ምሥዋዕ ፡ ዘነደቀ ።\n\nወተባሀሉ ፡ በበይናቲሆሙ ፡ መኑ ፡ ገብረ ፡ ዘንተ ፡ ግብረ ፡ ወሐሠሡ ፡ ወኀተቱ ፡ ወይቤሉ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ወልደ ፡ ዮአስ\n፡ ገብረ ፡ ዘንተ ፡ ግብረ ።\n\nወይቤልዎ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ለዮአስ ፡ አምጽእ ፡ ወልደከ ፡ ይቅትልዎ ፡ እስመ ፡ ነሠተ ፡ ምሥዋዐ ፡ በዓል ፡ ወሰበረ\n፡ ምስለ ፡ ዘላዕሌሁ ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ዮአስ ፡ ለሰብእ ፡ እለ ፡ ቆሙ ፡ ላዕሌሁ ፡ አንትሙኑ ፡ ይእዜ ፡ ትትቤቀሉ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ለበዓል ፡ አው ፡\nአንትሙኑ ፡ ታድኅንዎ ፡ ከመ ፡ ትቅትሉ ፡ ዘገፍዖ ፡ ወእመሰ ፡ አምላክ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ እስከ ፡ ይጸብሕ ፡ ለይሙት ፡ ዘገፍዖ ፡\nወይትበቀል ፡ ለሊሁ ፡ ለዘ ፡ ነሠተ ፡ ምሥዋዒሁ ።","english":"And Gideon took thirteen of his servants and did as the Lord had told him. And then, when the house of his father and the people of his city feared, they entered by day and by night.\n\nAnd in the morning the people of the city came and found the altar of Baal overturned, and the image beside it broken, and a fattened bullock, a great offering, placed upon the altar that had been cast down.\n\nAnd they said among themselves, Who did this deed? And they searched and investigated, and they said, Gideon, son of Joash, did this deed.\n\nAnd the people of the city said to Joash, Bring your son, that they may kill him, for he overturned the altar of Baal and broke the image beside it.\n\nAnd Joash said to the people who stood against him, Are you now avenging Baal, or are you saving him so that you may kill the one who insulted him? For if he is a god, let him wait until morning to kill the one who insulted him, and avenge himself upon the one who overturned his altar.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Gideon's destruction of the Baal altar and the people's demand for his death follow the biblical narrative but expand the role of the townspeople and Joash's rhetorical challenge.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ምሥዋዐ በዓል","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'altar of Baal' (ምሥዋዐ በዓል) reflects the Geʿez rendering of the Canaanite deity, consistent with the Old Testament context.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage parallels Judges 6:28-31, where Gideon destroys the altar and the townspeople seek his life, but Joash's speech is expanded in the Geʿez version.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez Book of Judges is part of the broader Ethiopic Octateuch tradition, which often expands biblical narratives with homiletic and legendary material.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured as a narrative sequence: Gideon's action, discovery by townspeople, accusation, and Joash's rhetorical defense, typical of the Geʿez expansion.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This Geʿez version of Judges was transmitted in Ethiopian monastic and liturgical contexts, where the story of Gideon was used to illustrate divine intervention and the futility of idolatry.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT1700Judges","label":"source edition: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether the 'thirteen servants' (ዐሠርተ ወሠለስተ ዕደወ) is a literal count or a symbolic number; the English draft takes it as literal.","The phrase 'they entered by day and by night' (በዊአ መዓልተ ወሌሊተ) is ambiguous as to who enters—Gideon's household or the townspeople; the English draft interprets it as the townspeople fearing."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":33,"ref":"p33","source":"ወሰመዮ ፡ በይእቲ ፡ ዕለት ፡ ዐውደ ፡ በዓል ፡ እስመ ፡ ነሠቱ ፡ ምሥዋዖ ።\n\nወኵሉ ፡ ምድያም ፡ ወዐማሌቅ ፡ ወደቂቀ ፡ ጽባሕ ፡ ተጋብኡ ፡ ላዕሌሁ ፡ ወዐደዉ ፡ ወኀደሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቈላተ ፡\nኢያዝራኤል ።\n\nወአጽንዖ ፡ መንፈሰ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለጌድዮን ፡ ወነፍኀ ፡ ቀርነ ፡ ወወውዐ ፡ አቢየዜር ፡ በድኅሬሁ ።\n\nወፈነወ ፡ መ[ላ]እክተ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ምናሴ ፡ ወአውየወ ፡ ውእቱኒ ፡ እምድኅሬሁ ፡ ወፈነወ ፡ መ[ላ]እክተ ፡ ውስተ\n፡ አሴር ፡ ወውስተ ፡ ዛቡሎን ፡ ወንፍታሌም ፡ ወዐርጉ ፡ ወተቀበልዎሙ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ እመ ፡ ታድኅኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ በእዴየ ፡ በከመ ፡ ትቤ ፤\n\nናሁ ፡ አነ ፡ እሰፍሕ ፡ ፀምረ ፡ ብዙኀ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ዐውድ ፡ ወእመከመ ፡ ወረደ ፡ ጠል ፡ ውስተ ፡ ፀምር ፡ ባሕቲቱ ፡\nወኵሉ ፡ ምድር ፡ ይቡስ ፡ ኣአምር ፡ እንከ ፡ ከመ ፡ ታድኅኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ በእዴየ ፡ በከመ ፡ ትቤ ።","english":"And he named that day the Feast of the Lord, because he had taken the sacrifice.\n\nAnd all the Midianites and Amalekites and the sons of the east gathered against him, and they attacked and encamped in the valley of Qiyazraʾel.\n\nAnd the Spirit of the Lord strengthened Gideon, and he blew the horn, and Abiezer shouted behind him.\n\nAnd he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and he himself shouted behind them, and he sent messengers into Asher and into Zebulun and Naphtali, and they went up and received them.\n\nAnd Gideon said to the Lord, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have said,\n\nbehold, I will spread out a fleece of wool in the threshing-floor; and if the dew falls on the fleece alone, and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand as you have said.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ዐውደ ፡ በዓል","severity":"info","text":"The phrase ዐውደ ፡ በዓል (ʿawda baʿal) is rendered 'Feast of the Lord' in the English draft, but በዓል (baʿal) is the Canaanite deity, not the God of Israel. The Geʿez likely preserves a polemical reappropriation of the pagan festival.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢያዝራኤል","severity":"info","text":"The toponym ኢያዝራኤል (Qiyazraʾel) is a Geʿez rendering of the Hebrew Yizreʿel (Jezreel), a valley in northern Israel. The spelling with initial ኢ (q) reflects a common Geʿez adaptation of Semitic gutturals.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአጽንዖ ፡ መንፈሰ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'the Spirit of the Lord strengthened Gideon' echoes Judges 6:34, where the spirit of the Lord 'came upon' Gideon. The Geʿez uses አጽንዖ (aṣnaʿo, 'strengthened him'), a slight interpretive shift from the Hebrew.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ወነፍኀ ፡ ቀርነ","severity":"info","text":"The blowing of the horn (ቀርነ, qarna) as a battle signal parallels the account in Judges 7:18, where Gideon's three hundred men blow trumpets. The Geʿez text conflates the horn with the shout of Abiezer.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤሎ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"Gideon's direct address to the Lord marks a shift from narrative to dialogue, introducing a conditional sign (the fleece). This structural break is typical of Geʿez hagiographic expansions of biblical narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"እሰፍሕ ፡ ፀምረ","severity":"info","text":"The fleece (ፀምረ, ṣamra) test is unique to the Geʿez tradition of Judges; it does not appear in the Masoretic Text or the Septuagint. This episode likely derives from later hagiographic or homiletic expansions.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase ዐውደ ፡ በዓል is ambiguous: it could mean 'Feast of Baal' or, as the English draft renders, 'Feast of the Lord' (with በዓል reinterpreted as a title for God). The reading taken follows the English draft's interpretive choice.","The toponym ኢያዝራኤል is ambiguous in vocalization; the English draft reads 'Qiyazraʾel', but the underlying Hebrew is Yizreʿel."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":34,"ref":"p34","source":"ወኮነ ፡ ከማሁ ፡ ወጌሠ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ በሳኒታ ፡ ወዐጸሮ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ ፀምር ፡ ወወፅአ ፡ ማይ ፡ እምነ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ፀምር\n፡ ወመልአ ፡ ዐይገን ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ ኢትትመዓዕ ፡ በመዐትከ ፡ ላዕሌየ ፡ ወእንግርከ ፡ ካዕበ ፡ አሐተ ፤ ፀምር ፡ ይኩን\n፡ ይቡሰ ፡ እንተ ፡ ባሕቲቱ ፡ ወውስተ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ምድር ፡ ይረድ ፡ ጠል ።\n\nወገብረ ፡ ከማሁ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ በይእቲ ፡ ሌሊት ፡ ወኮነ ፡ ይቡሰ ፡ ፀምር ፡ ባሕቲቱ ፡ ወውስተ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ምድር ፡\nወረደ ፡ ጠል ።\n\nJudices 7\n\n7\nወጌሠ ፡ ሮበዓም ፡ እስመ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ወኵሉ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ዘምስሌሁ ፡ ወኀደሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድር ፡ አሮኤድ ፡\nወትዕይንቶሙ ፡ ለምድያም ፡ ወለዐማሌቅ ፡ እመንገለ ፡ መስዕ ፡ እምነ ፡ ምሥዋዕ ፡ ዘአንበሬ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቈላ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለጌድዮን ፡ ብዙኅ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ዘምስሌከ ፡ ከመ ፡ ዘኢይክል ፡ አግብኦቶሙ ፡ ለምድያም ፡ ውስተ\n፡ እዴሆሙ ፡ ከመ ፡ ኢይትመክሑ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ላዕሌየ ፡ ወኢይበሉ ፡ እዴየ ፡ አድኀነተኒ ።","english":"And it happened thus: Gideon went in the morning and cut down that vine, and water came out from that vine and filled the skins.\n\nAnd Gideon said to the Lord, “Be not angry with me in your wrath, and I will show you another sign: let the vine be dry alone, and let dew fall upon all the land.”\n\nAnd the Lord did thus on that night, and the vine became dry alone, and dew fell upon all the land.\n\nJudges 7\n\n7\n\nAnd Rehoboam (that is, Gideon) advanced with all the people who were with him, and they encamped in the land of Aroer, and they saw the Midianites and the Amalekites from the direction of the south, from the camp of the lion in the valley.\n\nAnd the Lord said to Gideon, “The many people who are with you, as if you were to deliver them into the hands of the Midianites, so that Israel may not sin against me and say, ‘My hand saved me.’","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage is divided into two distinct sections: a miracle narrative (Gideon's vine and dew) and a military narrative (Gideon's advance and divine warning). The chapter heading 'Judices 7' marks a new chapter, but the content is continuous.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሮበዓም","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez text glosses 'ሮበዓም' (Rehoboam) as 'ጌድዮን' (Gideon), indicating a conflation or scribal substitution. This likely reflects a textual corruption or a harmonization with the later king Rehoboam, as Gideon is not elsewhere called Rehoboam.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The toponym 'Aroer' (አሮኤድ) is a Transjordanian site associated with the tribe of Reuben, but its appearance here in a Gideon narrative is anomalous. The 'camp of the lion' (ምሥዋዕ ዘአንበሬ) may be a local tradition or a misreading of a place name.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'let dew fall upon all the land' echoes Judges 6:37–40 in the Ethiopic tradition, where Gideon's fleece miracle involves dew. The Geʿez text here expands the miracle with a dry vine and dew, not found in the Masoretic or Septuagint versions.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic Book of Judges, as preserved in the Octateuch tradition, often includes haggadic expansions. This passage's unique vine-and-dew miracle and the Rehoboam gloss reflect a distinct Ethiopic reception of the Gideon cycle.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez text at the end is fragmentary: 'so that Israel may not sin against me and say, “My hand saved me.”' The sentence is incomplete, and the English draft supplies a conjectural conclusion. The original may have been longer or damaged.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Rehoboam' as Gideon is a textual corruption or deliberate substitution; the reason is unclear.","The location 'Aroer' and 'camp of the lion' are not securely identified with known biblical sites.","The vine-and-dew miracle is an expansion not found in the standard biblical text; its source is unknown."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":35,"ref":"p35","source":"ወይቤሎ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ንግሮሙ ፡ ለሕዝብ ፡ ወበሎሙ ፡ ዘይፈርህ ፡ እምኔክሙ ፡ ወፈራህ ፡ ለይግባእ ፡ እምኀበ ፡ ሕዝብ\n፡ ወተመይጡ ፡ እምነ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ገላአድ ፡ ወገብኡ ፡ እምነ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ክልኤ ፡ እልፍ ፡ ወዕሥራ ፡ ምእት ፡ ወተርፉ ፡\nእልፍ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለጌድዮን ፡ ዓዲ ፡ ብዙኅ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ አውርዶሙ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ማይ ፡ ወኣመክሮሙ ፡ ለከ ፡ በህየ ፡\nወእለ ፡ አነ ፡ እቤለከ ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ ይሑሩ ፡ ምስሌከ ።\n\nወአውረዶሙ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ማይ ፡ ለሕዝብ ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለጌድዮን ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ዘሰትየ ፡ በልሳኑ ፡ እምነ ፡ ማይ\n፡ ከመ ፡ ይሰቲ ፡ ከልብ ፡ አቅሞ ፡ እንተ ፡ ባሕቲቱ ፡ ወኵሉ ፡ ዘአስተብረከ ፡ በብረኪሁ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይስተይ ፡ አቅሞሙ ፡\nእንተ ፡ ባሕቲቶሙ ።\n\nወኮነ ፡ [ኍልቆሙ ፡] ለእለ ፡ ሰትዩ ፡ በልሳኖሙ ፡ ሠለስቱ ፡ ምእት ፡ ዕደው ፡ ወእለሰ ፡ ተርፉ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ አስተብረኩ\n፡ በብረኪሆሙ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይስተዩ ፡ ማየ ።","english":"And the Lord said to him, “Tell the people, and say to them, ‘Whoever is afraid of me, let him return from among the people.’” And they departed from Mount Gilead, and they went from among the people, two thousand and twenty hundred, and a thousand remained.\n\nAnd the Lord said to Gideon again, “Bring down many people to the water, and make them drink for you there, and those whom I tell you, they shall go with you.”\n\nAnd he brought the people down to the water, and the Lord said to Gideon, “All who drink with their tongue from the water, as a dog drinks, set them apart by themselves; and all who kneel on their knees, as one drinks, set them apart by themselves.”\n\nAnd the count of those who drank with their tongues was three hundred men; and the rest of the people knelt on their knees to drink water.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤሎ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ንግሮሙ ፡ ለሕዝብ","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from a divine sign (the vine and dew) to a direct command by the Lord to Gideon, initiating a test of loyalty among the people.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"እለ ፡ ሰትዩ ፡ በልሳኖሙ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'those who drank with their tongues' describes a dog-like lapping, distinguishing a select group of 300 men from those who knelt to drink.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወተመይጡ ፡ እምነ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ገላአድ","severity":"info","text":"Mount Gilead is a biblical location (Judges 7:1, 7:8) associated with Gideon's campaign against the Midianites, though the Geʿez text here expands the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"እለ ፡ አስተብረኩ ፡ በብረኪሆሙ","severity":"info","text":"The kneeling posture for drinking water reflects a cultural practice of reverence or submission, contrasting with the animal-like lapping of the chosen warriors.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ሠለስቱ ፡ ምእት ፡ ዕደው","severity":"info","text":"The reduction of Gideon's army to 300 men echoes the biblical account (Judges 7:6-7) and is a key episode in Ethiopic homiletic traditions on divine selection.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኍልቆሙ","severity":"caution","text":"The word 'ኍልቆሙ' (their count) is bracketed in the edition, suggesting a textual variant or scribal insertion; the number 300 may be a later harmonization with the biblical source.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The precise relationship between the two groups (those who lapped and those who knelt) and the significance of the number 300 are not fully clarified in the Geʿez text.","The phrase 'እለ ፡ አነ ፡ እቤለከ ፡ እሙንቱ' (those whom I tell you) leaves ambiguous whether the selection is predetermined or based on the drinking test."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":36,"ref":"p36","source":"ወይቤሎ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለጌድዮን ፡ በእሉ ፡ ሠለስቱ ፡ ምእት ፡ ብእሲ ፡ እለ ፡ ከመዝ ፡ ሰትዩ ፡ ኣድኅነክሙ ፡\nወኣገብኦሙ ፡ ለምድያም ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴከ ፡ ወኵሉ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ይእትዉ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አብያቲሆሙ ።\n\nወነሥኡ ፡ ምስሌሆሙ ፡ ሥንቀ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ወአቅርንቲሆሙ ፡ ወለኵሉ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ፈነዎሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አብያቲሆሙ\n፡ ይእትዉ ፡ ወለእልክቱሰ ፡ ሠለስቱ ፡ ምእት ፡ ብእሲ ፡ አቀመ ፡ ወትዕይንተ ፡ ምድያም ፡ መትሕቶሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቈላ ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ በይእቲ ፡ ሌሊት ፡ ይቤሎ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ተንሥእ ፡ ወረድ ፡ ፍጡነ ፡ እምዝየ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ትዕይንት ፡ እስመ\n፡ አግባእክዋ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴከ ።\n\nወእመሰ ፡ ትፈርህ ፡ ባሕቲትከ ፡ ወሪደ ፡ ረድ ፡ አንተ ፡ ወፈራ ፡ ቍልዔከ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ትዕይንት ።\n\nወአጽምኦሙ ፡ ዘይትናገሩ ፡ ወእምዝ ፡ እንከ ፡ ይጸንዓ ፡ እደዊከ ፡ ወረድ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ትዕይንት ፡ ወወረደ ፡ ውእቱ ፡\nወፋራ ፡ ቍልዔሁ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አሐዱ ፡ ሕብር ፡ ዘኀምሳ ፡ እምነ ፡ ትዕይንት ።","english":"And the Lord said to Gideon, “With these three hundred men who drank as you did, I have saved you, and I have delivered Midian into your hand, and all the people will go to their houses.”\n\nAnd they took with them the spoils of the people and their trumpets, and they sent all the men of Israel to their houses to go; and for those three hundred men, he set up an ambush and the camp of Midian below them in the valley.\n\nAnd then, on that night, the Lord said to him, “Arise and go down quickly from here into the camp, for I have brought it into your hand.\n\nAnd if you are afraid to go down alone, take your servant and dip your pitcher into the camp.”\n\nAnd he commanded them to be silent, and then, “Now stretch out your hands and go down into the camp.” And he went down, he himself, and dipped his pitcher into one of the fifty parts of the camp.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Lord tells Gideon that the three hundred men who drank as he did have been saved, and Midian is delivered into his hand.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሥንቀ ሕዝብ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'ሥንቀ ሕዝብ' (šənqə ḥəzb) means 'spoils of the people,' referring to plunder taken from the enemy.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ትዕይንተ ምድያም","severity":"info","text":"'ትዕይንተ ምድያም' (təʿəynəte mədyām) means 'the camp of Midian,' a key location in the narrative.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage contains a divine command followed by action: the Lord instructs Gideon to go down into the camp, and Gideon obeys, dipping his pitcher into one of fifty parts.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The episode of Gideon and the three hundred men echoes the biblical account in Judges 7, where a select group is used to defeat the Midianites.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT1700Judges","label":"source edition: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez text mentions 'two thousand and twenty hundred' in the previous passage, a numerical expression that may be corrupt or reflect a different counting system.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'እለ ከመዝ ሰትዩ' (əlla kämäz sätəyu) could mean 'who drank as you did' or 'who drank like this,' with the exact referent of 'ከመዝ' (kämäz) ambiguous.","The number 'two thousand and twenty hundred' in the previous passage is unclear; it may be a scribal error or a different numerical convention."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":37,"ref":"p37","source":"ወምደያም ፡ ወዐማሌቅ ፡ ወኵሎሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ጽባሕ ፡ ኅዱራን ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቈላት ፡ ከመ ፡ አንበጣ ፡ ብዝኆሙ ፡\nወአግማሊሆሙ ፡ አልቦ ፡ ኍልቍ ፡ አላ ፡ ከመ ፡ ኆጻ ፡ ዘውስተ ፡ ከንፈረ ፡ ባሕር ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ ብዝኆሙ ።\n\nወቦአ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ወናሁ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ አሐዱ ፡ ይነግሮ ፡ ለካልኡ ፡ ሕልሞ ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ ሐለምኩ ፡ ሕልመ ፡ ወእሬኢ ፡\nኅብስተ ፡ ስገም ፡ ታንኰረኵር ፡ ውስተ ፡ ትዕይንተ ፡ ምድያም ፡ ወቀተለታ ፡ ወወድቀት ፡ ወገፍትአታ ፡ እምላዕሉ ፡ ወወድቀት\n፡ ትዕይንት ።\n\nወአውሥአ ፡ ካልኡ ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ ኢኮነ ፡ ዝንቱ ፡ እንበለ ፡ ኵናተ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ወልደ ፡ ዮአስ ፡ ብእሴ ፡ እስራኤል ፤\nአግብኦሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴሁ ፡ ለምድያም ፡ ወለኵሉ ፡ ትዕይንቶሙ ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ሰምዐ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ፍካሬ ፡ ሕልሙ ፡ ወዘከመ ፡ ነገሮ ፡ ሕልሞ ፡ ሰገደ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ ወገብአ ፡\nውስተ ፡ ትዕይንተ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ተንሥኡ ፡ እስመ ፡ አግብኦሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴነ ፡ ለትዕይንተ ፡\nምድያም ።","english":"And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the East were numerous in the valleys like locusts, their camels without number, like the sand on the seashore they were numerous.\n\nAnd Gideon entered, and behold, one man was telling his dream to another, and he said to him, “I dreamed a dream, and I saw a cake of barley bread rolling into the camp of Midian, and it struck it, and it fell, and it overturned it from above, and the camp fell.”\n\nAnd the other answered and said to him, “This is nothing other than the strength of Gideon, son of Joash, the man of Israel. The Lord has delivered them into his hand, the Midianites and all their camp.”\n\nAnd then, when Gideon heard the interpretation of the dream and how he had told his dream, he bowed down to the Lord and entered into the camp of Israel and said to them, “Arise, for the Lord has delivered into our hand the camp of Midian.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ወምደያም ፡ ወዐማሌቅ ፡ ወኵሎሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ጽባሕ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez lists Midianites, Amalekites, and 'all the sons of the East' as the enemy host, expanding the biblical account which names only Midianites and Amalekites in Judges 7:12.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ኅብስተ ፡ ስገም","severity":"info","text":"The dream of a barley cake (ኅብስተ ስገም) rolling into the Midianite camp echoes the biblical account in Judges 7:13-14, where Gideon overhears a Midianite telling a dream of a barley loaf that overturns the tent.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"አግማሊሆሙ","severity":"info","text":"The mention of camels (አግማሊሆሙ) among the enemy forces reflects the Geʿez tradition's familiarity with camel-borne desert warfare, a detail not present in the Hebrew text of Judges 7.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወእምዝ","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured as a narrative sequence: enemy description, dream report, dream interpretation, and Gideon's response, marked by the temporal conjunction ወእምዝ ('and then') to introduce the final action.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ጌድዮን","severity":"info","text":"Gideon's bowing to the Lord (ሰገደ ለእግዚአብሔር) before addressing the camp emphasizes his piety, a motif common in Ethiopic hagiographic retellings of Old Testament narratives.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether the 'sons of the East' (ደቂቀ ጽባሕ) are a distinct group from the Midianites and Amalekites or a collective term for all eastern tribes."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":38,"ref":"p38","source":"ወከፈሎሙ ፡ ለሠለስቱ ፡ ምእት ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ለሠለስቱ ፡ ሰራዊት ፡ ወወሀቦሙ ፡ ቀርነ ፡ ለኵሎሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እደዊሆሙ ፡\nወመሳብክ[ተ] ፡ ሐደስ[ተ] ፡ ወመኃትው ፡ ውስተ ፡ ማእከለ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ መሳብክት ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ እምኔየ ፡ ርእዩ ፡ ወከማሁ ፡ ግበሩ ፡ ወናሁ ፡ አነ ፡ እበውእ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ማእከለ ፡ ትዕይንት ፡ ወዘከመ ፡\nገበርኩ ፡ ግበሩ ።\n\nወእነፍኅ ፡ በቀርን ፡ አነ ፡ ወኵሉ ፡ እለ ፡ ምስሌየ ፡ ወንፍኁ ፡ በቀርን ፡ አንትሙኒ ፡ በዐውደ ፡ ትዕይንት ፡ ወበሉ\n፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ ወለጌድዮን ።\n\nወቦአ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ወምእት ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ምስሌሁ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አሐዱ ፡ ሕብረ ፡ ትዕይንት ፡ በቀዳሚት ፡ ሰዓት ፡ ዘመንፈቀ\n፡ ሌሊት ፡ እንበለ ፡ ይንቅኁ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ መዓቅብ ፡ ወነፍኁ ፡ በቀርን ፡ ወነፅኁ ፡ ዝክተ ፡ መሳብክተ ፡ ዘውስተ ፡ እደዊሆሙ\n።\n\nወነፍኁ ፡ ቀርነ ፡ እልክቱ ፡ ሠለስቱ ፡ ሰራዊት ፡ ወነፅኁ ፡ መሳብክቲሆሙ ፡ ወአለዐሉ ፡ መኃትዊሆሙ ፡ ዘውስተ ፡\nእደዊሆሙ ፡ ዘፀጋም ፡ ወውስተ ፡ እደዊሆሙ ፡ ዘየማን ፡ ቀርነ ፡ ዘቦቱ ፡ ይነፍኁ ፡ ወጸርኁ ፡ ወይቤሉ ፡ ኵናተ ፡\nእግዚአብሔር ፡ ወዘጌድዮን ።","english":"And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he gave a horn to all of them in their hands, and a new lamp and a torch in the midst of that lamp.\n\nAnd he said to them, \"From me, see, and do likewise. And behold, I will enter into the midst of the camp, and as I have done, do.\"\n\n\"And I will blow the horn, I and all who are with me, and we will blow the horn; you also, in the circuit of the camp, say, 'For the Lord and for Gideon.'\"\n\nAnd Gideon entered, and a hundred men with him, into one part of the camp at the first hour of midnight, without the watchmen moving, and they blew the horn and lit the lamps that were in their hands.\n\nAnd those three companies blew the horn and lit their lamps and raised their torches that were in their left hands, and in their right hands the horn which they blew, and they shouted and said, \"The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"መሳብክተ","severity":"info","text":"The term መሳብክተ (masabkta) is a plural form of መሳብክት (masabkt, “lamp”). The passage distinguishes between a “new lamp” (መሳብክተ ሐደስተ) and a “torch” (መኃትው), indicating two distinct light sources used in the night attack.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ቀርን","severity":"info","text":"ቀርን (qarn) means “horn” and here refers to a ram’s horn used as a trumpet for signaling. The repeated blowing of the horn is a tactical signal for the coordinated assault.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ኵናተ እግዚአብሔር ወዘጌድዮን","severity":"info","text":"The battle cry “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon” (ኵናተ እግዚአብሔር ወዘጌድዮን) echoes the biblical phrase “the sword of the Lord and of Gideon” (Judges 7:20), though the Geʿez text expands it with a coordinated cry.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured as a three-part narrative: (1) Gideon divides the men and distributes equipment, (2) he gives instructions for the attack, and (3) the execution of the assault with horns, lamps, and torches. This mirrors the Coptic narrative pattern of preparation, command, and action.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"በቀዳሚት ሰዓት ዘመንፈቀ ሌሊት","severity":"info","text":"The attack occurs “at the first hour of midnight” (በቀዳሚት ሰዓት ዘመንፈቀ ሌሊት), i.e., the first hour after midnight, a standard time for a surprise night assault in biblical and Ethiopic military narratives.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"መሳብክተ ሐደስተ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase “new lamp” (መሳብክተ ሐደስተ) is ambiguous: it may mean a lamp that is newly made or one that is freshly lit. The text does not clarify whether the lamp is a distinct object or a description of the torch.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase “new lamp” (መሳብክተ ሐደስተ) could mean a newly made lamp or a freshly lit one; the distinction between lamp and torch is not fully clear.","The number of men in each company is not specified; only the total of three hundred is given.","The phrase “in the circuit of the camp” (በዐውደ ትዕይንት) may refer to the perimeter or to a specific part of the camp."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":39,"ref":"p39","source":"ወቆሙ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ በበ ፡ መካኖሙ ፡ በውስተ ፡ ዐውደ ፡ ትዕይንት ፡ ወጐየ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ትዕይንት ፡ ወደንገፁ ።\n\nወነፍኁ ፡ በሠለስቱ ፡ ምእት ፡ አቅርንት ፡ ወአግብአ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ መጥባሕተ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ካልኡ ፡ በውስተ ፡\nኵሉ ፡ ትዕይንት ፡ ወጐዩ ፡ ትዕይንቶሙ ፡ እስከ ፡ በሴጣ ፡ ወተጋብኡ ፡ እስከ ፡ ዐሠርቱ ፡ ምእት ፡ ውስተ ፡ አቤልሜሑላ ፡\nወውስተ ፡ ገባኦት ።\n\nወአውየዉ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ እምነ ፡ ንፍታሌም ፡ ወእምነ ፡ አሴር ፡ ወእምነ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ መናሴ ፡ ወዴገንዎሙ ፡\nለምድያም ።\n\nወፈነወ ፡ መ[ላ]እክተ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ደወለ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይብል ፡ ረዱአ ፡ ተቀበልዎሙአ ፡\nለምድያምአ ፡ ወርከብዎሙአ ፡ በኀበአ ፡ ማይአ ፡ እስከ ፡ ቤቴራአ ፡ ወበዮርዳንስአ ፡ ወአውየዉ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡\nወተቀደምዎሙ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ማይ ፡ እስከ ፡ ቤቴራ ፡ ወዮርዳንስ ።\n\nወአኀዝዎሙ ፡ ለክልኤቱ ፡ መላእክተ ፡ ምድያም ፡ ለሄሬብ ፡ ወለዜብ ፡ ወቀተልዎ ፡ ለሄሬብ ፡ በሱሪን ፡ ወለዜብ ፡ ቀተልዎ\n፡ በኢያፌቅ ፡ ወዴገንዎሙ ፡ ለምድያም ፡ ወአምጽኡ ፡ አርእስቲሆሙ ፡ ለሄሬብ ፡ ወለዜብ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ እምነ ፡ ማዕዶተ\n፡ ዮርዳንስ ።","english":"And all of them stood in their places in the midst of the camp, and each camp went forth, and they surrounded them.\n\nAnd they blew the three hundred horns, and the Lord brought a sword of a man upon the other in the midst of every camp, and they destroyed their camps as far as Seṭa, and they assembled as many as ten hundred in Abelmeḥula and in Gebaot.\n\nAnd the men of Israel gathered from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued the Midianites.\n\nAnd Gideon sent messengers into all the district of Ephraim, saying, \"Receive the Midianites and intercept them at the waters as far as Beth-tera and the Jordan.\" And all the men of Ephraim gathered and anticipated them at the water as far as Beth-tera and the Jordan.\n\nAnd the two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb, seized them, and they killed Oreb at Surin, and Zeeb they killed at Aiafeq, and they pursued the Midianites, and they brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon from the fords of the Jordan.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ትዕይንት","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ትዕይንት (təʿəynət) here means 'camp' or 'military encampment', consistent with its use in the previous passage. The English draft renders it as 'camp'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ሠለስቱ ምእት አቅርንት","severity":"info","text":"ሠለስቱ ምእት አቅርንት (śalastu məʾət ʾaqrənt) means 'three hundred horns', matching the three hundred men and horns mentioned in the previous passage. The number is symbolic of Gideon's select force.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ሄሬብ ወዜብ","severity":"info","text":"The names Oreb (ሄሬብ) and Zeeb (ዜብ) are the Midianite princes whose deaths are recorded in Judges 7:25. The Geʿez text follows the biblical account closely, including the locations Surin and Aiafeq.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"አቤልሜሑላ ወገባኦት","severity":"info","text":"Abelmeḥula (አቤልሜሑላ) and Gebaot (ገባኦት) are place names in the Jordan Valley region, associated with Gideon's campaign in Judges 7. The Geʿez text adds the detail of 'ten hundred' (a thousand) assembled there, not found in the Masoretic text.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"እግዚአብሔር መጥባሕተ ብእሲ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'the Lord brought a sword of a man upon the other' is a distinctive Geʿez addition, emphasizing divine causation in the battle. This reflects the Ethiopic tradition's tendency to highlight God's direct intervention in military victories.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"በሴጣ","severity":"caution","text":"The place name በሴጣ (ba-Sēṭa) is uncertain; it may be a corruption or variant of a known location. The English draft renders it as 'Seṭa', but its identification is not secure from the Geʿez text alone.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The place name በሴጣ (Seṭa) is not clearly identified in biblical geography; it may be a scribal error or a local toponym.","The phrase 'the Lord brought a sword of a man upon the other' is ambiguous: it could mean that God caused the Midianites to turn on each other, or that Gideon's men were divinely armed."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":40,"ref":"p40","source":"Judices 8\n\n8\nወይቤልዎ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ምንት ፡ ዝንቱ ፡ ነገር ፡ ዘገበርከ ፡ ላዕሌነ ፡ ከመ ፡ ኢትጸውዐነ ፡ አመ ፡ ሖርከ ፡\nትትቃተሎሙ ፡ ለምድያም ፡ ወተሳነኑ ፡ ምስሌሁ ፡ ዐቢየ ፡ ተስናነ ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ምንተ ፡ ገበርኩ ፡ ይእዜ ፡ ከመ ፡ ዘአንትሙ ፡ [ኢ]ትኄይ[ስ]ኒ ፡ ቈጽለ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ [እም]ቀሥመ ፡\nአቢየዜር ።\n\n[አኮኑ ፡] ውስተ ፡ እዴክሙ ፡ አግብኦሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለመላእክተ ፡ ምድያም ፡ ሄሬብ ፡ ወዜብ ፡ ወምንተ ፡ ክህልኩ\n፡ ገቢረ ፡ ከማክሙ ፤ ወእምዝ ፡ ኀደግዎ ፡ እንከ ፡ ወአእረፈት ፡ ነፍሶሙ ፡ እምኔሁ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ይቤሎሙ ፡ ዘንተ ፡ ቃለ ።\n\nወመጽአ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ኀበ ፡ ዮርዳንስ ፡ ወዐደወ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ወክልኤቱ ፡ ምእት ፡ ብእሲ ፡ እለ ፡ ምስሌሁ ፡ ወዐንበዙ ፡\nሶበ ፡ ርኅቡ ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ለሰብአ ፡ ሶኮት ፡ ሀብዎሙ ፡ እክለ ፡ ለሕዝብ ፡ እለ ፡ ምስሌየ ፡ እስመ ፡ ርኅቡ ፡ ወአንሰ ፡ እተልዎሙ ፡\nለዜቤሔ ፡ ወለሴልማና ፡ ነገሥተ ፡ ምድያም ።","english":"And the men of Ephraim said to him, \"What is this thing that you have done to us, that you did not summon us when you went to fight against the Midianites, and they were reconciled with him in great reconciliation?\"\n\nAnd he said to them, \"What have I done now, that you reproach me? The flower of Ephraim fell from the stem of Abiezer.\"\n\n\"Were they not in your hands? The Lord delivered the angels of Midian to the sword and the wolf, and what could I do like you?\" And then they left him, and their souls rested from him when he spoke this word to them.\n\nAnd Gideon came to the Jordan, and he and the two hundred men who were with him crossed over, and they were hungry because they were afraid.\n\nAnd he said to the men of Succoth, \"Give grain to the people who are with me, for they are hungry, and I will pursue Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Judices 8","severity":"info","text":"The passage begins with a chapter heading 'Judices 8', marking a structural division in the Geʿez text.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"መላእክተ ፡ ምድያም","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'angels of Midian' is unusual; in the biblical context, it likely refers to the leaders or princes of Midian, not celestial beings.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤልዎ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ኤፍሬም","severity":"info","text":"This passage corresponds to Judges 8:1-5, where Gideon confronts the men of Ephraim and later requests grain from Succoth.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ሶኮት","severity":"info","text":"Succoth (ሶኮት) is a location east of the Jordan River, associated with the tribe of Gad in the biblical narrative.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990022646510203941","label":"The text of the Ethiopic version of the Octateuch, with special reference to the age and value of the Haverford manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022646510203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአእረፈት ፡ ነፍሶሙ ፡ እምኔሁ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'their souls rested from him' reflects a Geʿazized expression of relief, possibly influenced by hagiographic or monastic idiom.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢትጸውዐነ","severity":"caution","text":"The reading 'ኢትጸውዐነ' (you did not summon us) is uncertain; the manuscript may have a variant or scribal error affecting the negation.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'angels of Midian' is ambiguous; it may be a translation of a Hebrew term for 'princes' or a literal rendering.","The phrase 'flower of Ephraim fell from the stem of Abiezer' is obscure; it may be a proverbial expression or a textual corruption."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":41,"ref":"p41","source":"ወይቤልዎ ፡ መላእክተ ፡ ሶኮት ፡ ቦኑ ፡ እዴሆሙ ፡ ለዜቤሔ ፡ ወለሴልማና ፡ ይእዜ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴከ ፡ ከመ ፡ ነሀቦሙ ፡\nእክለ ፡ ለሰራዊትከ ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ አኮ ፡ ከመዝ ፡ እምከመ ፡ አግብኦሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለዜቤሔ ፡ ወለሴልማና ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴየ ፡\nእሰቅል ፡ ሥጋክሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ዐቀባት ፡ ዘገዳም ፡ ወውስተ ፡ ክልኤ ፡ አርቆሚን ።\n\nወዐርገ ፡ እምህየ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ፋኑሔል ፡ [ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ከመዝ ፡ ወይቤልዎ ፡] በከመ ፡ ይቤልዎ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ሶኮት ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ለሰብአ ፡ ፋኑሔል ፡ ሶበ ፡ ገባእኩ ፡ በዳኅን ፡ እነሥቶ ፡ ለዝንቱ ፡ ማኅፈድ ።\n\nወዜቤሔሰ ፡ ወሴልማና ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቀርቀር ፡ ወትዕይንቶሙ ፡ ምስሌሆሙ ፡ ወየአክሉ ፡ እልፈ ፡ ወኀምሳ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡\nእለ ፡ ተርፉ ፡ እምነ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ተዓይኒሆሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ ጽባሕ ፡ ወእለሰ ፡ ወድቁ ፡ ዐሠርቱ ፡ እልፍ ፡ ወዕሥራ ፡ ምእት ፡\nብእሲ ፡ እለ ፡ ይጸውሩ ፡ ኵናተ ።","english":"And the messengers of Succoth said to him, \"Where are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now, that you have them in your hand, as you said to us, 'I will give bread to your army'?\"\n\nAnd Gideon said to them, \"Not so; because the Lord has delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the desert and with the two threshing-sledges.\"\n\nAnd he went up from there to Penuel [and said to them likewise, and they answered him] as the men of Succoth had answered him.\n\nAnd he said to the men of Penuel, \"When I return in peace, I will destroy this tower.\"\n\nNow Zebah and Zalmunna were in the camp, and their army with them, and they could eat one thousand five hundred, all of them, who remained from all the army of the sons of the morning; and those who had fallen were ten thousand and twenty hundred men who bore arms.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative of Gideon's vengeance against Succoth and Penuel, following the pattern of confrontation and threat established in the previous passage.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"መላእክተ ሶኮት","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'messengers of Succoth' (መላእክተ ሶኮት) likely refers to envoys or representatives, not angelic beings, consistent with the Geʿez use of መላእክት for human messengers.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤሎሙ ጌድዮን","severity":"info","text":"Gideon's threat to tear flesh with thorns and threshing-sledges echoes the biblical account in Judges 8:7, where he punishes the men of Succoth with desert thorns.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ክልኤ አርቆሚን","severity":"info","text":"The 'two threshing-sledges' (ክልኤ አርቆሚን) refer to agricultural tools used for separating grain, here employed as instruments of torture, reflecting the agrarian context of the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወዐርገ እምህየ ውስተ ፋኑሔል","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'he went up from there to Penuel' is followed by a lacuna in the Geʿez text, indicated by brackets in the English draft, suggesting a possible scribal omission or textual corruption.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ደቂቀ ጽባሕ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'sons of the morning' (ደቂቀ ጽባሕ) is a poetic epithet for the Midianite army, possibly reflecting a Geʿez interpretive tradition that emphasizes their defeat at dawn.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text has a lacuna after 'he went up from there to Penuel', where the response of the men of Penuel is implied but not fully preserved.","The exact number of survivors (one thousand five hundred) and fallen (ten thousand and twenty hundred) may reflect textual transmission variants."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":42,"ref":"p42","source":"ወዐርገ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ፍኖተ ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አዕጻዳት ፡ ጽባሓውያን ፡ እለ ፡ መንገለ ፡ ናቤት ፡ ላዕለ ፡\nዜቤሔ ፡ ወቀተለ ፡ ትዕይንቶሙ ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይትአመኑ ።\n\nወጐዩ ፡ ዜቤሔ ፡ ወሴልማና ፡ ወዴገኖሙ ፡ ወተለዎሙ ፡ ወአሐዞሙ ፡ ለክልኤሆሙ ፡ ነገሥተ ፡ ምድያም ፡ ለዜቤሔ ፡\nወለሴልማና ፡ ወለኵሉ ፡ ትዕይንቶሙ ፡ ቀጥቀጦሙ ፡ ጌድዮን ።\n\nወተመይጠ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ወልደ ፡ ዮአስ ፡ እምነ ፡ ፀብእ ፡ እምነ ፡ ዐቀበ ፡ አሬስ ።\n\nወአኀዙ ፡ አሐደ ፡ ወልደ ፡ እምነ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ሶኮት ፡ ወሐተቶ ፡ ወአጽሐፎሙ ፡ [ለ]መላእክተ ፡ ሶከት ፡ ወሊቃናቲሃ ፡\nሰብዓ ፡ ወሰብዐቱ ፡ ብእሲ ።\n\nወበጽሐ ፡ [ኀበ ፡ መላእክተ ፡] ሶኮት ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ነዮሙ ፡ ዜቤሔ ፡ ወሴልማና ፡ በአለ ፡ ቦሙ ፡ ተዐየርክሙ ፡\nወትቤሉኒ ፡ ቦኑ ፡ እዴሆሙ ፡ ለዜቤሔ ፡ ወለሴልማና ፡ ይእዜ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴከ ፡ ከመ ፡ ነሀቦሙ ፡ እክለ ፡ ለእለ ፡ ርኅቡ\n፡ ሰብእከ ።","english":"And Gideon went up to those who dwelt in the thickets of the east, who were on the side of Nabat, above Zebah, and he killed their princes while they were trusting.\n\nAnd Zebah and Zalmunna fled, and he pursued them, overtook them, and captured them, both of them, the kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and all their princes, Gideon slaughtered them.\n\nAnd Gideon, son of Joash, returned from the war, from the fortress of Ares.\n\nAnd he seized one of the men of Succoth, and he interrogated him, and he made him write down for the messengers of Succoth and its elders seventy-seven men.\n\nAnd he arrived to the messengers of Succoth and said to them, \"Behold, here are Zebah and Zalmunna. Did I not say to you, 'You will see them'? And you said to me, 'Where are the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna now, that you have them in your hand, as you said to us, \"I will give bread to your army\"?'","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወዐርገ ፡ ጌድዮን","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative of Gideon’s campaign against the Midianite kings, following the confrontation with Succoth in the previous passage.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"አዕጻዳት","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term አዕጻዳት (ʿaṣṣādat) means 'thickets' or 'bushes', here describing the eastern location where Gideon attacks.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ትዕይንቶሙ","severity":"info","text":"ትዕይንቶሙ (təʿəynətomu) is a plural form meaning 'their princes' or 'their nobles', referring to the leaders of the Midianite forces.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወቀተለ ፡ ትዕይንቶሙ","severity":"info","text":"The killing of the princes while they were trusting echoes Judges 8:12, where Gideon slays the Midianite leaders after their flight.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"እምነ ፡ ዐቀበ ፡ አሬስ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'from the fortress of Ares' likely refers to a location or stronghold associated with the Midianite campaign, though not explicitly identified in the biblical text.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአጽሐፎሙ ፡ [ለ]መላእክተ ፡ ሶከት","severity":"caution","text":"The text says Gideon made a man write down for the messengers and elders of Succoth, but the bracketed ለ (la) in the edition suggests a possible scribal insertion or correction; the sense is that the list of seventy-seven men was prepared for them.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the fortress of Ares' is unclear; it may be a toponym or a descriptive phrase.","The phrase 'he made him write down for the messengers' could imply a written list or a formal declaration, but the exact procedure is ambiguous."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":43,"ref":"p43","source":"ወነሥኦሙ ፡ ለሰብአ ፡ ሶኮት ፡ ለሊቃናቲሆሙ ፡ ወለመላእክቲሆሙ ፡ ወሰቀሎሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ዐቀባተ ፡ ገዳም ፡ ወውስተ ፡\nበራቄኒም ፡ ወሰቀሎሙ ፡ ምስሌሆሙ ፡ ለሰብአ ፡ ሶኮት ።\n\nወነሠቶ ፡ ለማኅፈደ ፡ ፋኑሔል ፡ ወቀተሎሙ ፡ ለሰብአ ፡ ፋኑሔል ፡ ወለሀገሮሙ ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ለዜቤሔ ፡ ወለሴልማና ፡ አይቴ ፡ ዕደው ፡ እለ ፡ ቀተልክሙ ፡ በታቦር ፡ ወይቤልዎ ፡ ከማከ ፡ እሙንቱ ፡\nወኪያከ ፡ ይመስሉ ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ ወከመ ፡ ርእየተ ፡ ገጸ ፡ ደቀ ፡ ነገሥት ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ አኀዊየ ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ ወደቂቀ ፡ እምየ ፡ ወመሐለ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ሕያው ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡\nሶበ ፡ አሕየውክምዎሙ ፡ ከመ ፡ እምኢቀተልኩክሙ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ ለዮቶር ፡ በኵሩ ፡ ተንሥእ ፡ ቅትሎሙ ፡ ወኢመልሐ ፡ መጥባሕቶ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ሕፃን ፡ እስመ ፡ ንዑስ ፡ ውእቱ ፡\nወፈርሀ ።\n\nወይቤልዎ ፡ ዜቤሔ ፡ ወሴልማና ፡ ተንሥእ ፡ አንተ ፡ ወተራከበነ ፡ እስመ ፡ ከመ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ኀይልከ ፡ ወተንሥአ\n፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ወቀተሎሙ ፡ ለዜቤሔ ፡ ወለሴልማና ፡ ወነሥአ ፡ ባዝግናተ ፡ ዘውስተ ፡ ክሳዳተ ፡ አግማላቲሆሙ ።","english":"And he took the men of Sukkot, their elders and their messengers, and he hanged them in the thickets of the desert and in the thorns, and he hanged them with the men of Sukkot.\n\nAnd he went to Penuel and killed the men of Penuel and their city.\n\nAnd he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, “Where are the men whom you killed at Tabor?” And they said to him, “Like you, they are; they resemble you, and like the appearance of the face of a king’s son.”\n\nAnd Gideon said to them, “They are my brothers and the sons of my mother.” And he swore to them and said, “By the life of the Lord, if I had spared them, I would not have killed you.”\n\nAnd he said to Jothar, his firstborn, “Rise up, kill them.” But he did not draw his sword, for he was a child, for he was young, and he was afraid.\n\nAnd Zebah and Zalmunna said to him, “Rise up yourself and kill us, for you are a man; your strength is like that of a man.” And Gideon rose up and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and he took the ornaments from the necks of their camels.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Gideon executes the men of Sukkot and Penuel, then kills the Midianite kings Zebah and Zalmunna, fulfilling his vow of vengeance.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሰቀሎሙ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez verb ሰቀሎሙ (saqalomu) means 'he hanged them,' indicating execution by hanging, consistent with the narrative's punitive tone.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ታቦር","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Tabor (ታቦር) echoes the biblical Mount Tabor, where Gideon's brothers were killed, as in Judges 8:18-19.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic Book of Judges is part of the broader Octateuch tradition, with this passage reflecting a Geʿez adaptation of the biblical narrative.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Gideon's refusal to let his young son Jothar kill the kings parallels the biblical account (Judges 8:20), emphasizing the child's fear and Gideon's direct action.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is preserved in Ethiopic manuscripts such as those cataloged in the Hollis collection, indicating its liturgical and scholarly use.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990022646510203941","label":"The text of the Ethiopic version of the Octateuch, with special reference to the age and value of the Haverford manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022646510203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether the hanging of Sukkot's men was simultaneous or sequential; the reading assumes a single punitive act.","The phrase 'ornaments from the necks of their camels' (ባዝግናተ ዘውስተ ክሳዳተ አግማላቲሆሙ) may refer to spoils of war, but the exact nature of the ornaments is unclear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":44,"ref":"p44","source":"ወይቤልዎ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ለጌድዮን ፡ ተመልአክ ፡ ለነ ፡ አንተ ፡ ወደቂቅከ ፡ እስመ ፡ አድኀንከነ ፡ እምነ ፡\nእደ ፡ ምድያም ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ኢይመልክ ፡ አንሰ ፡ ለክሙ ፡ ወወልድየኒ ፡ ኢይመልክ ፡ ለክሙ ፤ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ይመልክ ፡ ለክሙ\n።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ እስእል ፡ እምኔክሙ ፡ ስእለተ ፡ ወሀቡኒ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ አዕኑገ ፡ [ዘወርቅ ፡] ዘሰለበ ፡\nእስመ ፡ ብዙኀ ፡ አዕኑገ ፡ ቦሙ ፡ እስመ ፡ እስማዔላውያን ፡ እሙንቱ ።\n\nወይቤሉ ፡ ውሂበ ፡ ንሁብ ፡ ወሰፍሐ ፡ ልብሶ ፡ ወገደፉ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ አዕኑገ ፡ ዘሰለቡ ።\n\nወኮነ ፡ ድልወተ ፡ ወርቀ ፡ አዕኑጊሁ ፡ ዘሰአሎሙ ፡ ዐሠርተ ፡ ወትስዐተ ፡ ምእተ ፡ በሰቅል ፡ ወርቁ ፡ እንበለ ፡\nአውጻባት ፡ ወባዝግናት ፡ ዘኤፎት ፡ ወመዋጥሕ ፡ ዘሜላት ፡ ዘላዕለ ፡ ነገሥተ ፡ ምድያም ፡ ወእንበለ ፡ ሐብላተ ፡ ወርቅ ፡\nዘውስተ ፡ ክሳዳተ ፡ አግማላቲሆሙ ።","english":"And the men of Israel said to Gideon, \"Be king for us, you and your sons, for you have saved us from the hand of Midian.\"\n\nAnd Gideon said to them, \"I will not be king for you, and my sons will not be king for you; the Lord will be king for you.\"\n\nAnd Gideon said to them, \"I ask of you a request, and give me, each man, an earring of gold which he has taken, for many earrings are with them, for they are Ishmaelites.\"\n\nAnd they said, \"We will give,\" and they spread out their garments, and each man threw down an earring which he had taken.\n\nAnd the weight of the gold of the earrings which he asked of them was one thousand nine hundred by the weight of gold, besides the chains and bracelets of the hands and the anklets of the feet of the kings of Midian, and besides the gold chains which were on the necks of their camels.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ተመልአክ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez verb ተመልአክ (tamalʾak) means 'be king' or 'rule as king,' reflecting the request for Gideon to establish a monarchy.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ኢይመልክ","severity":"info","text":"ኢይመልክ (ʾiyamallak) is a negated imperfect form meaning 'I will not be king,' emphasizing Gideon's refusal of kingship.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"እስማዔላውያን","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Ishmaelites' (እስማዔላውያን) in Geʿez tradition often refers to Arabs or Midianites, reflecting a conflation of desert peoples.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"እግዚአብሔር ፡ ይመልክ ፡ ለክሙ","severity":"info","text":"Gideon's declaration that 'the Lord will be king for you' echoes the biblical theme of theocracy, paralleling Judges 8:23 where Gideon refuses hereditary rule.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage transitions from military victory to a request for tribute, structured as a dialogue followed by a collective action of offering gold earrings.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"In Ethiopic tradition, Gideon's refusal of kingship and emphasis on divine rule may have resonated with the Solomonic ideology of the Ethiopian monarchy.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether the earrings (አዕኑገ) are nose rings or earrings; the translation 'earring' is conventional.","The weight unit በሰቅል (ba-saqil) is ambiguous; it may refer to a shekel or a generic weight measure."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":45,"ref":"p45","source":"ወገብረ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ምስለ ፡ ወአቀሞ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሀገሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ወዘመዉ ፡ ቦቱ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ እስራኤል\n፡ ወተለውዎ ፡ በህየ ፡ ወኮኖ ፡ ጌጋየ ፡ ለጌድዮን ፡ ወለቤቱ ።\n\nወተ[ትሕ]ቱ ፡ ምድያም ፡ ቅድሜሆሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ወኢደገሙ ፡ እንከ ፡ አልዕሎ ፡ ርእሶሙ ፡ ወአእረፈት ፡ ምድር ፡\n፵ዓመ ፡ በመዋዕለ ፡ ጌድዮን ።\n\nወሖረ ፡ ኢየሮቦዓም ፡ ወልደ ፡ ዮአስ ፡ ወነበረ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤቱ ።\n\nወቦ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ሰብዓ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እለ ፡ የሐውሩ ፡ በገቦሁ ፡ እስመ ፡ ብዙኃት ፡ አንስትያሁ ።\n\nወዕቅብቱ ፡ በውስተ ፡ ሲቂምስ ፡ ወለደት ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ወልደ ፡ ወሰመዮ ፡ ስሞ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ።\n\nወሞተ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ወልደ ፡ ዮአስ ፡ በሀገር ፡ ሠኔት ፡ ወተቀብረ ፡ ውስተ ፡ መቃብረ ፡ አቡሁ ፡ ዮአስ ፡ በኤፍራታ ፡\nአቢየዝሪ ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ሞተ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ወተመይጡ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወተለዉ ፡ በዓልም ፡ ወተካየዱ ፡ ምስሌሁ ፡ ለበዓል\n፡ ከመ ፡ ይኩኖሙ ፡ አምላኮሙ ።","english":"And Gideon did for him with his donkey and placed it in his city, in the land of Ephraim; and all Israel mourned him, and they buried him there. And it became a stumbling block for Gideon and his house.\n\nAnd Midian was humbled before Israel, and they did not again raise their heads, and the land rested for forty years in the days of Gideon.\n\nAnd Jerubbaal, son of Joash, went and dwelt in his house.\n\nAnd Gideon had seventy sons who walked at his side, for he had many wives.\n\nAnd his concubine in Shechem bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech.\n\nAnd Gideon, son of Joash, died in the city of Senet, and he was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ephratah of Abiezer.\n\nAnd after that, when Gideon died, the sons of Israel turned away and followed Baal, and they worshipped him, and they made a covenant with Baal that he might be their god.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወገብረ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ምስለ ፡ ወአቀሞ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez text begins with a clause that is syntactically ambiguous, likely a corruption or misreading of the Vorlage; the English draft interprets it as 'Gideon did for him with his donkey,' but the Coptic source may have been clearer.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ጌጋየ","severity":"info","text":"The term ጌጋየ (gegāye) means 'stumbling block' or 'cause of offense,' here used metaphorically to indicate that Gideon's actions or legacy became a source of trouble for his house.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ኢየሮቦዓም","severity":"info","text":"Jerubbaal is an alternate name for Gideon, attested in the biblical tradition (Judges 6:32). The Geʿez text uses this name here, possibly reflecting a variant source or scribal conflation.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወሖረ ፡ ኢየሮቦዓም ፡ ወልደ ፡ ዮአስ","severity":"info","text":"This passage echoes Judges 8:29–32, which recounts Gideon's death, his seventy sons, and Abimelech's birth. The Geʿez version condenses and reorders the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ወተካየዱ ፡ ምስሌሁ ፡ ለበዓል","severity":"info","text":"The final verse, describing Israel's covenant with Baal, reflects a later theological interpretation that frames the post-Gideon period as a relapse into idolatry, common in Ethiopic homiletic expansions.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወገብረ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ ምስለ ፡ ወአቀሞ","severity":"caution","text":"The opening clause is textually corrupt: 'with his donkey' (ምስለ ወአቀሞ) is likely a scribal error; the Coptic Vorlage may have read 'with his men' or similar. The English draft follows a conjectural emendation.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The opening clause is corrupt; the identity of 'him' in 'did for him' is unclear—possibly Gideon or another figure.","The location 'Senet' (ሠኔት) is unattested in biblical geography; it may be a scribal error or a local toponym."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":46,"ref":"p46","source":"ወኢተዘከርዎ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ አምላኮሙ ፡ ዘአድኀኖሙ ፡ እምእደ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ፀሮሙ ፡ እለ ፡ ዐውዶሙ\n።\n\nወኢገብሩ ፡ ምሕረተ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ኢየሮበዓም ፡ ዘውእቱ ፡ ጌድዮን ፡ በኵሉ ፡ ሠናይት ፡ እንተ ፡ ገብረ ፡ ምስለ ፡\nእስራኤል ።\n\nJudices 9\n\n9\nወሖረ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ወልደ ፡ ሮበዓም ፡ ውስተ ፡ ስቂማ ፡ ኀበ ፡ አኀወ ፡ እሙ ፡ ወተናገሮሙ ፡ ለኵሉ ፡ አዝማደ ፡ ቤተ\n፡ እሙ ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ተናገርዎሙ ፡ ሊተ ፡ ለሰብአ ፡ ስቂማ ፡ ወበልዎሙ ፡ ምንትአ ፡ ይኄይሰክሙአ ፡ ሰብዓኑ ፡ ብእሲአ ፡\nይኰንኑክሙአ ፡ ኵሎሙአ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ሮቦዓምአ ፡ አው ፡ አሐዱአ ፡ ብእሲአ ፡ ይኰንንክሙአ ፡ ወተዘከሩአ ፡ ከመአ ፡ ሥጋክሙአ ፡\nወዐጽምክሙአ ፡ አነአ ።\n\nወተናገሩ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ አኀወ ፡ እሙ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ሲቂማ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ዘንተ ፡ ነገረ ፡ ወሜጥዎ ፡ ለልቦሙ ፡\nኀበ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ወይቤሉ ፡ እኁነ ፡ ውእቱ ።","english":"And the children of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had saved them from the hand of all their enemies who had surrounded them.\n\nAnd they did not show mercy to the house of Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, for all the good things that he had done for Israel.\n\nJudges 9\n\nAnd Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, went into Shechem to his mother’s brothers, and he spoke to all the relatives of his mother’s house.\n\nAnd he said to them, “Speak for me to the men of Shechem, and tell them, ‘Which is better for you: that all the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one man rule over you? And remember that your flesh and your bones are mine.’”\n\nAnd his mother’s brothers spoke to him, and with all the men of Shechem they spoke all this matter, and they inclined their hearts toward Abimelech, and they said, “He is our brother.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢየሮበዓም","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez uses the form 'Jerubbaal' (ኢየሮበዓም) as an alternate name for Gideon, consistent with the biblical narrative (Judges 6:32).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Judges 9","severity":"info","text":"The passage introduces Judges 9, recounting Abimelech's conspiracy in Shechem, closely following the biblical account (Judges 9:1-3).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ስቂማ","severity":"info","text":"Shechem (ስቂማ) is a significant city in the central highlands of Canaan, often a site of political and religious assembly in the Hebrew Bible.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage transitions from a summary of Israel's ingratitude to the specific narrative of Abimelech, marked by the chapter heading 'Judices 9'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic version emphasizes moral causation: Israel's forgetfulness of God and ingratitude toward Gideon set the stage for Abimelech's rise, reflecting a homiletic tendency.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez phrase 'ወተናገሩ ሎቱ አኀወ እሙ' could be read as 'his mother's brothers spoke to him' or 'they spoke to him, his mother's brothers'; the translation takes the former.","The clause 'ወሜጥዎ ለልቦሙ' is ambiguous: 'they inclined their hearts' or 'they sent their hearts'; the translation adopts the idiomatic sense of persuasion."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":47,"ref":"p47","source":"ወወሀብዎ ፡ ፸ብሩረ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቤተ ፡ በዓል ፡ ወተዓሰበ ፡ ቦን ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ዕደወ ፡ ሐቃልያነ ፡ ወመደንግፃነ ፡\nወሖሩ ፡ ወተለውዎ ።\n\nወቦአ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ አቡሁ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ወቀተሎሙ ፡ ለአኀዊሁ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ ሮቦዓም ፡ ፸ብእሴ ፡ በአሐቲ ፡\nእብን ፡ ወተርፈ ፡ ኢ[ዮአ]ታም ፡ ወልደ ፡ ሮቦዓም ፡ ዘይንእስ ፡ እስመ ፡ ተኀብአ ።\n\nወተጋብኡ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ሲቂማ ፡ ወኵሉ ፡ ቤተ ፡ መሐሎን ፡ ወሖሩ ፡ ወአንገሥዎ ፡ ለአቢሜሌክ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ ንጉሠ ፡\nበኀበ ፡ ዕፀ ፡ በላኖ ፡ እንተ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሲቂማ ።\n\nወዜነውዎ ፡ ለኢ[ዮአ]ታም ፡ ወሖረ ፡ ወቆመ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ርእሰ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ጋሪዝን ፡ ወጾርኀ ፡ ወበከየ ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡\nስምዑኒ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ሲቂማ ፡ ወይስማዕክሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ።\n\nሖሩአ ፡ ዕፀውአ ፡ ያንግሡአ ፡ ሎሙአ ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ ወይቤልዋ ፡ ለዕፀ ፡ ዘይት ፡ ንግሢ ፡ ለነ ።\n\nወትቤሎሙ ፡ ዕፀ ፡ ዘይት ፡ እኅድግኑ ፡ ቅብዕየ ፡ ዘሰብሐ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ በላዕሌየ ፡ ወእጓለ ፡ እመሕያው ፡ ወእሑር\n፡ እንግሥ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ዕፀው ።","english":"And they gave him seventy burur from the house of Baal, and Abimelech rejoiced in that, and he became hostile to the farmers and the gardeners. And they went and stoned him.\n\nAnd he entered into his father’s house, into Ephraim, and he killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men with a single stone. And [Jo]atham, the son of Jerubbaal, who was younger, escaped because he hid.\n\nAnd all the men of Shechem and all the house of Millo assembled, and they went and made Abimelech king over them, by the oak tree that is in Shechem.\n\nAnd they informed [Jo]atham, and he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and he cried out and wept, and he said to them, “Hear me, men of Shechem, and may the Lord hear you.”\n\n“The trees went to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’”\n\nAnd the olive tree said to them, “Shall I abandon my oil, which the Lord has praised over me, and go and be a king over the trees?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ብሩረ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ብሩረ (burur) likely refers to a unit of currency or weight, possibly silver. Its exact value is uncertain, but it appears in economic contexts in Ethiopic texts.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ዕፀ ዘይት","severity":"info","text":"The fable of the trees choosing a king, with the olive tree refusing, echoes Judges 9:8–15, where Jotham tells the parable of the trees. The Geʿez version closely follows the biblical narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ሲቂማ","severity":"info","text":"Shechem (ሲቂማ) is an ancient city in central Canaan, significant in the Judges narrative as the site of Abimelech's kingship. The oak tree mentioned is a traditional landmark.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990022646510203941","label":"The text of the Ethiopic version of the Octateuch, with special reference to the age and value of the Haverford manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022646510203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወተጋብኡ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ሲቂማ","severity":"info","text":"This passage transitions from Abimelech's violent consolidation of power to the assembly of Shechem, marking a shift from private murder to public acclamation. The narrative structure highlights the irony of his kingship.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ኢ[ዮአ]ታም","severity":"info","text":"Jotham's parable of the trees is a well-known moral allegory in Ethiopic tradition, often cited in homilies. The Geʿez version preserves the dialogue form, emphasizing the olive tree's refusal.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"፸ብእሴ ፡ በአሐቲ ፡ እብን","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'seventy men with a single stone' is hyperbolic and may reflect a textual corruption or scribal embellishment. The biblical account (Judges 9:5) mentions seventy men but not a single stone.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the house of Baal' (ቤተ ፡ በዓል) is unclear; it may refer to a temple or a family name. The reading taken follows the biblical context of Abimelech's payment from the temple treasury.","The name ኢ[ዮአ]ታም is partially reconstructed; the manuscript has a lacuna, but the context identifies him as Jotham, son of Jerubbaal."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":48,"ref":"p48","source":"ወይቤልዋ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ዕፀው ፡ ለበለስ ፡ ንዒ ፡ ንግሢ ፡ ለነ ።\n\nወትቤሎሙ ፡ በለስ ፡ እኅድግኑ ፡ ምጥቀትየ ፡ ወፍሬ[የ] ፡ ቡሩከ ፡ ወእሑር ፡ እንግሥ ፡ ለዕፀው ።\n\nወይቤልዎ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ዕፀው ፡ ለወይን ፡ ነዓ ፡ ንግሥ ፡ ለነ ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ወይን ፡ እኅድግኑ ፡ ወይንየ ፡ ወትፍሥሕትየ ፡ ዘበኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወበኀበ ፡ እጓለ ፡ እመሕያው ፡\nወእሑር ፡ እንግሥ ፡ ለዕፀው ።\n\nወይቤልዋ ፡ ዕፀው ፡ ለዕፀ ፡ ራምኖን ፡ ንዒ ፡ አንቲ ፡ ንግሢ ፡ ለነ ።\n\nወትቤሎሙ ፡ ዕፀ ፡ ራምኖን ፡ እመ ፡ አማን ፡ ታነግሡኒ ፡ በጽድቅ ፡ ላዕሌክሙ ፡ ንዑ ፡ አጽልሉ ፡ ታሕተ ፡ ጽላሎትየ ፡\nእመ ፡ ኢወፅአት ፡ እሳት ፡ እምነ ፡ ራምኖን ፡ ወትበልዖ ፡ ለአርዘ ፡ ሊባኖስ።\n\nወይእዜኒ ፡ እመ ፡ አማን ፡ በጽድቅ ፡ ገበርክሙ ፡ ወአንገሥክምዎ ፡ ለአቢሜሌክ ፡ በከመ ፡ ገበርክሙ ፡ ምስለ ፡\nኢየሮበዓም ፡ ወምስለ ፡ ቤቱ ፡ ወእመ ፡ በከመ ፡ ዕሴተ ፡ እዴሁ ፡ ገበርክሙ ፡ ሎቱ ፤","english":"And all the trees said to the balsam, “Come, reign for us.”\n\nAnd the balsam said to them, “Shall I leave my fragrance and my blessed fruit, and go to reign for the trees?”\n\nAnd all the trees said to the vine, “Come, reign for us.”\n\nAnd the vine said to them, “Shall I leave my wine and my joy, which are before the Lord and before the children of men, and go to reign for the trees?”\n\nAnd the trees said to the pomegranate tree, “Come, you, reign for us.”\n\nAnd the pomegranate tree said to them, “If truly you will crown me in righteousness over you, come, take shelter under my shade. If fire comes out of the pomegranate, it will consume the cedar of Lebanon.”\n\nAnd now, if truly in righteousness you have done and crowned Abimelech, as you did with Jeroboam and with his house, and if you have done to him according to the worth of his hand.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤልዋ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ዕፀው ፡ ለበለስ","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a fable inserted into the Abimelech narrative, a common device in Ethiopic Judges to illustrate political folly.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"በለስ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term 'balsam' (bälas) refers to the balsam tree, known for its fragrant resin and medicinal properties, symbolizing self-sufficiency.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወእመ ፡ ኢወፅአት ፡ እሳት ፡ እምነ ፡ ራምኖን","severity":"info","text":"The pomegranate's threat of fire consuming the cedar of Lebanon echoes Judges 9:15, where Abimelech burns the tower of Shechem, but here it is allegorized.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ኢየሮበዓም","severity":"info","text":"Jeroboam (Geʿez: 'Uyarobäʿam) is an anachronistic insertion; the biblical Abimelech narrative (Judges 9) does not mention Jeroboam, a later king of Israel.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This fable is unique to the Ethiopic tradition, not found in the Septuagint or Vulgate, reflecting a homiletic expansion in the Geʿez Octateuch.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወእመ ፡ በከመ ፡ ዕሴተ ፡ እዴሁ ፡ ገበርክሙ ፡ ሎቱ","severity":"caution","text":"The final sentence is syntactically ambiguous: 'according to the worth of his hand' may mean 'according to his deed' or 'as he deserved,' leaving the moral open.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Uyarobäʿam (Jeroboam) is anachronistic; the text may conflate him with Gideon or another figure.","The phrase 'worth of his hand' could imply reward or punishment; the Geʿez does not disambiguate."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":49,"ref":"p49","source":"በከመ ፡ ተቃተለ ፡ አቡየ ፡ ለክሙ ፡ ወገደፈ ፡ ነፍሶ ፡ ቅድሜክሙ ፡ ወአድኀነክሙ ፡ እምእደ ፡ ምድያም ፤\n\nወአንትሙ ፡ ተንሣእክሙ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ቤተ ፡ አቡየ ፡ ወቀተልክሙ ፡ ደቂቆ ፡ ፸ብእሴ ፡ በአሐቲ ፡ እብን ፡ ወአንገሥክምዎ ፡\nለአቢሜሌክ ፡ ወልደ ፡ ዕቅብቱ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ [ሰብአ ፡] ሲቂሞን ፡ እስመ ፡ እኁክሙ ፡ ውእቱ ።\n\nወእመሰ ፡ በጽድቅ ፡ ወበርትዕ ፡ ገበርክሙ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ሮቦዓም ፡ ወቤቱ ፡ በዛቲ ፡ ዕለት ፡ ቡሩካነ ፡ አንትሙሂ ፡\nወተፈሥሑ ፡ በአቢሜሌክ ፡ ወውእቱኒ ፡ ይትፌሣሕ ፡ ብክሙ ።\n\nወእመ ፡ አኮሰ ፡ ትጻእ ፡ እሳት ፡ እምነ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ወትብልዖሙ ፡ ለሰብአ ፡ ሲቂሞን ፡ ወለቤተ ፡ መሐሎን ፡ ወትፃእ\n፡ እሳት ፡ እምነ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ሲቂሞን ፡ ወእምነ ፡ ቤተአ ፡ መሐሎንአ ፡ ወትብልዖአ ፡ ለአቢሜሌክአ ።\n\nወጐየ ፡ ኢዮአታም ፡ ወሮጸ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ፍኖት ፡ ወአምሠጠ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ራራ ፡ ወነበረ ፡ ህየ ፡ እምነ ፡ ገጸ ፡ አቢሜሌክ\n፡ እኁሁ ።","english":"As my father was killed for you and sacrificed himself before you and saved you from the hand of the Midianites, you rose up against my father's house and killed seventy of his sons with one stone, and you made Abimelech, the son of his concubine, king over the men of Shechem, for he is your brother.\n\nAnd if you have acted justly and rightly with Jerubbaal and his house on this day, you are blessed and rejoice in Abimelech, and he also rejoices in you.\n\nBut if not, fire will come from Abimelech and consume the men of Shechem and the house of Millo, and fire will come from the men of Shechem and from the house of Millo and consume Abimelech.\n\nAnd Jotham fled and ran into the road and hid in the forest and remained there from the face of Abimelech, his brother.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"አቡየ","severity":"info","text":"Jotham's speech echoes the biblical account (Judges 9) where Gideon (Jerubbaal) delivered Israel from Midian, and Abimelech killed seventy of Gideon's sons.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሮቦዓም","severity":"info","text":"The name 'Jerubbaal' (Gideon's alternative name) is rendered as ሮቦዓም, reflecting a Geʿez adaptation of the Hebrew יְרֻבַּעַל.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ተቃተለ ፡ አቡየ ፡ ለክሙ","severity":"info","text":"This passage closely follows Judges 9:16-20, where Jotham recounts Gideon's death and Abimelech's massacre, though the Geʿez expands the rhetorical structure.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወእመሰ ... ወእመ አኮሰ","severity":"info","text":"The passage uses a conditional parallelism ('if ... but if not') to contrast the blessing of Abimelech's rule with a curse of mutual destruction, a rhetorical device common in Geʿez narrative.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"አቢሜሌክ","severity":"info","text":"In Ethiopic tradition, Abimelech is often typologized as a usurper, and Jotham's fable (preceding this passage) is read as a moral allegory against tyranny.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ሰብአ ፡ ሲቂሞን","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'men of Shechem' is partially reconstructed in the manuscript (bracketed in the edition), indicating a lacuna or scribal correction; the reading is secure from context.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether Jotham's speech is delivered before or after Abimelech's coronation, but the narrative sequence implies it follows the fable and precedes Jotham's flight.","The phrase 'house of Millo' (ቤተ ፡ መሐሎን) may refer to a specific clan or a fortified structure; the Geʿez follows the Septuagint's rendering."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":50,"ref":"p50","source":"ወ[ተ]መልአከ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ለቤተ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ሠለስተ ፡ ዓመተ ።\n\nወፈነወ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ጋኔነ ፡ እኩየ ፡ ማእከለ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ወማእከለ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ሲቂሞን ፡ ወክሕድዎ ፡ ሰብአ ፡\nሲቂሞን ፡ ለቤተ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፤\n\nከመ ፡ ይግባእ ፡ ኀጢአቱ ፡ ዘ፸ደቂቀ ፡ ኢየሮቦዓም ፡ ወደሞሙ ፡ ወይትፈደዮ ፡ ለአቢሜሌክ ፡ እኁሆሙ ፡ ዘቀተሎሙ ፡\nወላዕለ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ሲቂሞን ፡ እለ ፡ አጽንዕዋ ፡ ለእዴሁ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይቅትሎሙ ፡ ለአኀዊሁ ።\n\nወአንበሩ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ሲቂሞን ፡ ማዕገተ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አርእስተ ፡ አድባር ፡ ወየሀይዱ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ዘየኀልፍ ፡ ፍኖተ\n፡ እንተ ፡ ላዕሌሆሙ ፡ ወዜነውዎ ፡ ለአቢሜሌክ ።\n\n[ወመጽአ ፡] ጋአድ ፡ ወልደ ፡ አቤድ ፡ ወአኀዊሁ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሲቂማ ፡ ወኀብሩ ፡ ምስሌሁ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ሲቂማ ።\n\nወወፅኡ ፡ ሐቅለ ፡ ወቀሠሙ ፡ አዕጻዳተ ፡ ወይኖሙ ፡ ወአኬዱ ፡ ወገብሩ ፡ በዓለ ፡ ወቦኡ ፡ ቤተ ፡ አምላከሙ ፡ ወበልዑ\n፡ ወሰትዩ ፡ ወረገምዎ ፡ ለአቢሜሌክ ።","english":"And Abimelech ruled over the house of Israel for three years.\n\nAnd the Lord sent an evil spirit among Abimelech and among the men of Shechem, and the men of Shechem deceived the house of Abimelech.\n\nSo that his sin might come upon him, the sin of the seventy sons of Jerubbaal and their blood, and that it might be avenged upon Abimelech, their brother who had killed them, and upon the men of Shechem who had strengthened his hand to kill his brothers.\n\nAnd the men of Shechem set an ambush for him on the top of the mountains, and they watched all who passed by the road that was above them, and they informed Abimelech.\n\nAnd Gaal, son of Ebed, and his brothers came into Shechem, and the men of Shechem joined with him.\n\nAnd they went out to the field and cut down the vineyards and the olive trees, and they plundered and made a feast, and they entered the house of their god and ate and drank, and they cursed Abimelech.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወ[ተ]መልአከ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ለቤተ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ሠለስተ ፡ ዓመተ","severity":"info","text":"The passage opens with a three-year reign formula for Abimelech, marking a chronological transition from the preceding narrative of his rise to power.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ጋኔነ ፡ እኩየ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'evil spirit' (ጋኔነ ፡ እኩየ) is sent by God, reflecting a theological motif in Geʿez literature where divine punishment is mediated through a spirit, not a demonic entity.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ከመ ፡ ይግባእ ፡ ኀጢአቱ ፡ ዘ፸ደቂቀ ፡ ኢየሮቦዓም","severity":"info","text":"The reference to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal (Gideon) echoes Judges 9:5, where Abimelech kills his brothers, but the Geʿez text explicitly frames it as a sin requiring vengeance.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ጋአድ ፡ ወልደ ፡ አቤድ","severity":"info","text":"Gaal son of Ebed is a figure from Judges 9:26–41, who leads a rebellion against Abimelech in Shechem. His appearance here aligns with the biblical narrative but is condensed.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወቦኡ ፡ ቤተ ፡ አምላከሙ","severity":"info","text":"The mention of entering the house of their god and feasting reflects a Geʿez Christian redaction, possibly emphasizing pagan ritual as a contrast to monotheistic worship.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወ[ተ]መልአከ","severity":"caution","text":"The initial verb is partially reconstructed as ተመልአከ ('ruled'), but the manuscript may have a lacuna or variant reading; the sense is clear from context.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact form of the opening verb is uncertain due to a possible lacuna; the reading 'ruled' is adopted based on context.","The phrase 'house of Israel' may refer to the northern kingdom or the entire people; the Geʿez text does not specify."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":51,"ref":"p51","source":"ወይቤ ፡ ጋድ ፡ ወልደ ፡ አቤድ ፡ መኑ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ወመኑ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ወልደ ፡ ሴኬም ፡ ከመ ፡ ንትቀነይ ፡\nሎቱ ፡ አኮኑ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ወልደ ፡ ሮቦዓም ፡ ወዜቡል ፡ (ወ)ዐቃቢሁ ፡ ገብሩ ፡ ወሰብአ ፡ ኤሞር ፡ አቡሁ ፡ ለሴኬም ፡\nወለምንት ፡ ንትቀነይ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ንሕነ ።\n\nወመኑ ፡ እመ ፡ አግብኦ ፡ ለዝክቱ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴየ ፡ ወኣፍልሶ ፡ ለአቢሜሌክ ፡ ወእበሎ ፡ ለአቢሜሌክ ፡\nአብዝኅ ፡ ኀይለከ ፡ ወፃእ ።\n\nወሰምዐ ፡ ዜቡል ፡ መልአከ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ዘይቤ ፡ ጋድ ፡ ወልደ ፡ አቤድ ፡ ወተምዕዐ ፡ መዐተ ።\n\nወፈነወ ፡ መ[ላ]እክተ ፡ ኀበ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ምስለ ፡ አምኃ ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይብል ፡ ናሁአ ፡ [ጋድ]አ ፡ ወልደ ፡ አቤድ ፡\nወአኀዊሁ ፡ መጽኡ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሲቂማ ፡ ወናሁ ፡ ይትቃተልዋ ፡ ለሀገር ፡ በእንቲአከ ።\n\nወይእዜኒ ፡ ተንሥእ ፡ በሌሊት ፡ አንተ ፡ ወሕዝብ ፡ ዘምስሌከ ፡ ወዕግት ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሐቅል ።","english":"And Gaal the son of Ebed said, “Who is this Abimelech, and who is the son of Shechem, that we should fear him? Is he not the son of Jerubbaal? And Zebul, his governor, and the Amorites, his father for Shechem—why should we fear him?”\n\nAnd who brought this people into my hand and delivered them to Abimelech? And I said to Abimelech, “Increase your strength and go out.”\n\nAnd Zebul, the governor of the city, heard what Gaal the son of Ebed said, and he became angry with wrath.\n\nAnd he sent messengers to Abimelech with gifts, saying, “Now Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come into Shechem, and now they are fighting against the city for your sake.\n\nAnd now arise by night, you and the people with you, and hide in the field.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ጋድ ወልደ አቤድ","severity":"info","text":"Gaal son of Ebed is a figure introduced in Judges 9. The Geʿez form ጋድ reflects the Hebrew גַּעַל (Gaʿal).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ዜቡል","severity":"info","text":"Zebul is the governor of Shechem, a character in Judges 9. The Geʿez form ዜቡል corresponds to Hebrew זְבֻל (Zebul).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"አቢሜሌክ","severity":"info","text":"This passage corresponds to Judges 9:26–32, where Gaal challenges Abimelech and Zebul reports to Abimelech. The Geʿez text closely follows the biblical narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"አምኃ","severity":"info","text":"The mention of gifts (አምኃ) sent with messengers reflects the political maneuvering in Judges 9, where Zebul seeks to secure Abimelech's favor.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a narrative unit within the Abimelech cycle (Judges 9). It follows the pattern of dialogue, report, and action, typical of Geʿez biblical narrative style.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'the Amorites, his father for Shechem' is unclear; it may reflect a textual corruption or a gloss on Shechem's lineage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":52,"ref":"p52","source":"ወበጽባሕ ፡ ጊዜ ፡ ይሠርቅ ፡ ፀሐይ ፡ ጊሥ ፡ ወሩዳአ ፡ ለሀገርአ ።\n\nወመጽአ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ወሕዝብ ፡ ዘምስሌሁ ፡ በሌሊት ፡ ወዐገትዋ ፡ ለሲቂማ ፡ [በ]አርባዕቱ ፡ ሰራዊት ።\n\nወሶበ ፡ ጸብሐ ፡ ወፅአ ፡ [ጋድ ፡] ወልደ ፡ አቤድ ፡ ወቆመ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ኆኅተ ፡ አንቀጸ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ወተንሥአ ፡\nአቢሜሌክ ፡ ወሕዝብ ፡ ዘምስሌሁ ፡ እምኀበ ፡ የዐግቱ ።\n\nወርእየ ፡ ጋድ ፡ ወልደ ፡ አቤድ ፡ ሕዝበ ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ ለዜቡል ፡ ናሁ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ይወርድ ፡ እምነ ፡ ርእሰ ፡ ደብር ፡\nወይቤሎ ፡ ዜቡል ፡ ጽላሎተ ፡ አድባር ፡ ትሬኢ ፡ አንተሰ ፡ ከመ ፡ ሰብእ ።\n\nወደገመ ፡ ዓዲ ፡ ጋድ ፡ ብሂሎቶ ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ ናሁ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ይወርድ ፡ መንገለ ፡ ባሕር ፡ እምነ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ሕንብርተ\n፡ ምድር ፡ ወአሐዱ ፡ ሰርዌ ፡ ይመጽእ ፡ እምነ ፡ ፍኖተ ፡ ኦ [መ] ፡ አንጸሮ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ ዜቡል ፡ አይቴ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ይእዜ ፡ ዝክቱ ፡ አፉከ ፡ ዘትቤ ፡ መኑ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ከመ ፡ ንትቀነይ\n፡ ሎቱ ፡ አኮኑ ፡ ዝንቱ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ዘተዐየርከ ፡ ፃእኬ ፡ ይእዜ ፡ ወተቃተሎሙ ።","english":"And at dawn, at the time when the sun steals forth, he went out and surrounded her city.\n\nAnd he himself and the people with him came by night and besieged Shechem with four armies.\n\nAnd when it dawned, Gaal the son of Ebed went out and stood at the gate of the city’s entrance, and Abimelech and the people with him arose from where they were besieging.\n\nAnd Gaal the son of Ebed saw the people and said to Zebul, “Behold, people are descending from the top of the mountain.” And Zebul said to him, “The shadows of the mountains deceive you, for you are like a man.”\n\nAnd again Gaal insisted, saying to him, “Behold, people are descending toward the sea from the direction of the navel of the land, and one army is coming from the road of the city’s gate.”\n\nAnd Zebul said to him, “Where is he now? This is your mouth that says, ‘Who is this Abimelech, that we should fear him?’ Is this not the people you boasted about? Now go out and fight them.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative of Abimelech's siege of Shechem, following Gaal's boastful speech in the previous passage. The dialogue between Gaal and Zebul builds tension before the battle.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሩዳአ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez verb ሩዳአ (rudaʾa) means 'he went out' or 'he sallied forth,' here describing Abimelech's movement to surround the city. The English draft renders it as 'went out and surrounded.'","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሕንብርተ ምድር","severity":"info","text":"The phrase ሕንብርተ ምድር (ḥənbərtä mədr) literally means 'navel of the land,' a biblical idiom for a central or prominent location. Here it likely refers to a specific landmark near Shechem.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The siege of Shechem by Abimelech is recounted in Judges 9. This passage parallels the biblical account where Gaal misinterprets Abimelech's approaching army as shadows, and Zebul taunts him.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Zebul's taunt 'Where is he now? This is your mouth that says, “Who is this Abimelech?”' directly echoes Gaal's earlier boast from the previous passage, creating a dramatic reversal.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኦመ","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez text has a lacuna or uncertain reading at ፍኖተ ፡ ኦ [መ] ፡ አንጸሮ, where the English draft reads 'road of the city’s gate.' The manuscript may be damaged or the word obscure.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'navel of the land' (ሕንብርተ ምድር) may be a specific toponym or a general idiom; the exact location is unclear.","The lacuna at ኦመ/አንጸሮ leaves the precise route of the approaching army uncertain."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":53,"ref":"p53","source":"ወወፅአ ፡ ጋድ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቅድሜሆሙ ፡ ለሰብአ ፡ ሲቂማ ፡ ወተቃተሎ ፡ ለአቢሜሌክ ።\n\nወዴገኖ ፡ አቤሜሌክ ፡ ወጐየ ፡ እምቅድመ ፡ ገጹ ፡ ወወድቁ ፡ ብዙኃን ፡ ወተቀትሉ ፡ እስከ ፡ አንቀጸ ፡ ሀገር ።\n\nወነበረ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አሪማ ፡ ወአውፅኦሙ ፡ ዜቡል ፡ ለጋእድ ፡ ወለአኀዊሁ ፡ ወከልኦሙ ፡ ነቢረ ፡ ውስተ ፡\nሲቂማ ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ በሳኒታ ፡ ወፅአ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ገዳም ፡ ወዜነውዎ ፡ ለአቢሜሌክ ።\n\nወነሥአ ፡ ሕዝቦ ፡ ወከፈሎሙ ፡ ለሠለስቱ ፡ ሰራዊት ፡ ወዐገተ ፡ ቦሙ ፡ ወሶበ ፡ ይኔጽር ፡ ወናሁ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ይወፅእ ፡\nእምነ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ወተንሥአ ፡ ላዕሌሆሙ ፡ ወቀተሎመ ።\n\nወአቢሜሌክሰ ፡ ወሰርዌ ፡ ዘምስሌሁ ፡ ቆሙ ፡ ዲፓ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ኆኅተ ፡ አንቀጸ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ወእልክቱሰ ፡ ክልኤቱ ፡ ሰራዊት\n፡ ተዘርዉ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ገዳም ፡ ወቀተልዎሙ ።\n\nወአቢሜሌክሰ ፡ ይትቃተል ፡ ምስለ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ኵላ ፡ ይእተ ፡ ዕለተ ፡ ወአስተጋብእዋ ፡ ለሀገር ፡ ወሕዝበሰ ፡ ዘውስቴታ\n፡ ቀተለ ፡ ወዘርአ ፡ ውስቴታ ፡ ፄወ ።","english":"And Gaal went out from before the men of Shechem and fought against Abimelech.\n\nAnd Abimelech pursued him and struck him in the face, and many fell and were killed as far as the gate of the city.\n\nAnd Abimelech remained in the tower, and Zebul brought out Gaal and his brothers and all of them, and they dwelt in Shechem.\n\nAnd then, on the third day, a people went out into the plain and informed Abimelech.\n\nAnd he took his people and divided them into three armies and hid them. And when he watched, behold, a people came out from the city, and he rose up against them and killed them.\n\nAnd Abimelech and the army that was with him stood at the gate of the city, and the other two armies were scattered throughout the plain and killed them.\n\nAnd Abimelech fought with the whole city that day and subdued the city, and he killed the people who were within it and sowed salt within it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative of Abimelech's campaign against Shechem, following the pattern of the biblical account in Judges 9. The Geʿez text closely mirrors the sequence of events in the Masoretic Text.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ፄወ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ፄወ (ṣewe) means 'salt'. The phrase 'sowed salt within it' is a symbolic act of cursing the land, indicating total destruction and a desire to render the city uninhabitable.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወዘርአ ፡ ውስቴታ ፡ ፄወ","severity":"info","text":"The act of sowing salt in a conquered city is not found in the biblical account of Abimelech (Judges 9). This detail may derive from a later tradition or a conflation with other ancient Near Eastern practices of cursing defeated cities.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The mention of Abimelech remaining in 'the tower' (አሪማ) likely refers to the Tower of Shechem, a stronghold mentioned in Judges 9:46–49. The Geʿez text preserves this architectural detail from the biblical narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"በሳኒታ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez phrase 'on the third day' (በሳኒታ) introduces a temporal marker not explicitly present in the Masoretic Text of Judges 9. This may reflect a harmonization or a distinct textual tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez text states that Abimelech 'struck him in the face' (ጐየ ፡ እምቅድመ ፡ ገጹ), whereas the Masoretic Text (Judges 9:44) describes Abimelech pursuing Gaal. The Geʿez may be a paraphrase or a misreading of the source.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether Gaal was killed in the initial encounter or later; the biblical account (Judges 9:41) has Gaal flee. The phrase 'brought out Gaal and his brothers' (አውፅኦሙ ፡ ዜቡል ፡ ለጋእድ ፡ ወለአኀዊሁ) is ambiguous: it could mean Zebul expelled them or brought them forth for execution."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":54,"ref":"p54","source":"ወሰምዑ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ማኅፈደ ፡ ሲቂሞን ፡ ወቦኡ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ጸወነ ፡ ቤተ ፡ በዓል ።\n\nወዜነውዎ ፡ ለአቢሜሌክ ፡ ከመ ፡ ተጋብኡ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ማኅፈደ ፡ ሲቂማ ።\n\nወዐርገ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ሄርሞን ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ወሕዝብ ፡ ዘምስሌሁ ፡ ወነሥአ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ጕድበ ፡ ውስተ\n፡ እዴሁ ፡ ወገመደ ፡ ጾረ ፡ ዕፀው ፡ ወነሥአ ፡ ወጾሮ ፡ ውስተ ፡ መታክፊሁ ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ለሕዝብ ፡ ለእለ ፡ ምስሌሁ ፡\nዘከመ ፡ ርኢክሙኒ ፡ እገብር ፡ ግበሩ ፡ አንትሙኒ ፡ ፍጡነ ፡ ከመ ፡ አነ ፡ ገበርኩ ።\n\nወገዘሙ ፡ እሙንቱኒ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ ጾሮሙ ፡ ወነሥኡ ፡ ወተለውዎ ፡ ለአቢሜሌክ ፡ ወአንበሩ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ጸወን ፡ ወአውዐዩ ፡\nላዕሌሆሙ ፡ ጸወኖሙ ፡ በእሳት ፡ ወሞቱ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ሲቂማ ፡ ዘማኅፈዱ ፡ ወየአክሉ ፡ ዐሠርተ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ብእሲ ፡\nወአንስት ።\n\nወሖረ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቴቤስ ፡ ወነበሩ ፡ ላዕሌሃ ፡ ወአስተጋብእዋ ።","english":"And all the men of the council of Shechem heard and entered into the shade of the house of Baal.\n\nAnd they informed Abimelech that all the men of the council of Shechem had assembled.\n\nAnd Abimelech went up into Mount Hermon, he and the people with him, and Abimelech took a branch in his hand and cut a bundle of wood, and took it and placed it on his shoulder, and said to the people who were with him, “As you have seen me do, do you also quickly as I have done.”\n\nAnd they also all cut their bundles of wood and took them and gave them to Abimelech, and they placed them by the shade and set fire to their shade over them, and all the men of Shechem of the council died, about one thousand and ten men and women.\n\nAnd Abimelech went to Thebez and besieged it and assembled against it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ማኅፈደ ሲቂሞን","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'council of Shechem' (ማኅፈደ ሲቂሞን) renders the Hebrew 'baʿalei shekhem' (Judg 9:23), but the Geʿez term ማኅፈድ (maḫfäd) typically means 'council' or 'assembly', not 'lords' or 'masters' as in the Hebrew.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወዐርገ አቢሜሌክ ውስተ ደብረ ሄርሞን","severity":"info","text":"The mention of Mount Hermon (ደብረ ሄርሞን) is not found in the Masoretic text of Judges 9; the biblical account places Abimelech at Shechem and later at Thebez. This toponym may reflect a local tradition or a conflation with another narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአውዐዩ ላዕሌሆሙ ጸወኖሙ በእሳት","severity":"info","text":"The burning of the shade (ጸወን) over the men of Shechem is an addition to the biblical account (Judg 9:49), where Abimelech burns the tower. The Geʿez version introduces a collective death by fire, possibly influenced by hagiographic or homiletic expansions.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወሖረ አቢሜሌክ ውስተ ቴቤስ","severity":"info","text":"The passage ends with Abimelech's move to Thebez, which in the biblical narrative (Judg 9:50) leads to his death. The Geʿez text here omits the intervening siege of Arumah and the battle at Thebez, compressing the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወሞቱ ኵሎሙ ሰብአ ሲቂማ ዘማኅፈዱ","severity":"info","text":"The death toll of 'one thousand and ten men and women' (ዐሠርተ ምእተ ብእሲ ወአንስት) is not in the Hebrew Bible; it may reflect a tradition that emphasizes divine punishment on the Shechemites, possibly from Ethiopic exegetical sources.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text conflates the biblical account of Abimelech's destruction of Shechem with the later siege of Thebez, omitting the tower episode and adding a mass burning. The identity of 'Mount Hermon' is unclear; it may be a scribal error or a local geographical reference."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":55,"ref":"p55","source":"ወቦቱ ፡ ማኅፈደ ፡ ዐቢየ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ማእከለ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ወተጸወኑ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ ህየ ፡ ዕደዊሆሙ ፡ ወአንስቲያሆሙ ፡ ወኵሉ\n፡ ዐበይተ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ወዐጸዉ ፡ ላዕሌሆሙ ፡ ወዐርጉ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ናሕሰ ፡ ማኅፈድ ።\n\nወሖረ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ማኅፈድ ፡ ወተቃተልዎ ፡ ወቀርበ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ኆኅተ ፡ ማኅፈድ ፡ ከመ ፡ ያውዕዮ ፡\nበእሳት ።\n\nወወገረቶ ፡ አሐቲ ፡ ብእሲት ፡ በስባረ ፡ ማሕረጽ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ርእሱ ፡ ለአቢሜሌክ ፡ ወቀጥቀጠቶ ፡ መልታሕቶ ።\n\nወጸርኀ ፡ ፍጡነ ፡ ለቍልዔሁ ፡ ዘይጸውር ፡ ንዋዮ ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ ምላኅ ፡ መጥባኅተ ፡ ወቅትለኒ ፡ ከመ ፡ ኢይበሉኒ ፡\nብእሲት ፡ ቀተለቶ ፡ ወወግኦ ፡ ቍልዔሁ ፡ ወሞተ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ።\n\nወርእዩ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ከመ ፡ ሞተ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ወአተዉ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ በሓውርቲሆሙ ።\n\nወፈደዮ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለአቢሜሌክ ፡ እኪተ ፡ እንተ ፡ ገብረ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ አቡሁ ፡ ዘቀተለ ፡ ፸አኀዊሁ ።","english":"And that tower was in the midst of the city, and all of them armed themselves there, their men and their women, and all the great men of the city, and they closed it upon themselves, and they went up into the bronze tower.\n\nAnd Abimelech went to the tower, and they fought with him, and Abimelech approached the door of the tower to set it on fire.\n\nAnd one woman cast a piece of millstone upon the head of Abimelech and crushed his skull.\n\nAnd he called quickly to his servant who bore his arms and said to him, \"Draw my sword and kill me, lest they say of me, 'A woman killed him.'\" And his servant struck him, and Abimelech died.\n\nAnd the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, and they all returned to their homes.\n\nAnd the Lord God requited Abimelech for the evil that he had done against his father, whose seventy brothers he had killed.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage concludes the Abimelech narrative with his death and divine retribution, forming a narrative unit that transitions to the next judge.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ማኅፈድ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ማኅፈድ (maḫfad) is rendered as 'tower' here, but it can also mean 'fortress' or 'stronghold,' reflecting the defensive structure in the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The account of Abimelech's death by a woman's millstone and his request to be killed by his armor-bearer echoes Judges 9:50-54, with the Geʿez text closely following the biblical source.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The bronze tower (ናሕሰ ማኅፈድ) mentioned here is a detail from the biblical account of the siege of Thebez, where Abimelech met his end.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The final verse attributes Abimelech's death to divine retribution for killing his seventy brothers, a moralizing interpretation common in Ethiopic biblical commentary.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez term ማኅፈድ could be interpreted as 'tower' or 'fortress'; the English draft chooses 'tower' based on context.","The identity of the woman who kills Abimelech is not specified in the Geʿez, leaving open whether she is a named figure or anonymous."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":56,"ref":"p56","source":"ወኵሎ ፡ እኪቶሙ ፡ ለሰብአ ፡ ሲቂማ ፡ ፈደዮሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ርእሶሙ ፡ ወበጽሖሙ ፡ መርገመ ፡ ኢዮአታም ፡\nወልደ ፡ ሮቦዓም ።\n\nJudices 10\n\n10\nወቆመ ፡ እምድኅረ ፡ አቢሜሌክ ፡ ዘያድኅኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ቶላ ፡ ወልደ ፡ ፉሐ ፡ ወልደ ፡ እኁሁ ፡ ለአቡሁ ፡ ብእሲ\n፡ ዘእምነ ፡ ይስካር ፡ ወውእቱሰ ፡ ይነብር ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሰማርያ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ኤፍሬም ።\n\nወኰነኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ዕሥራ ፡ ወሠለስተ ፡ ዓመተ ፡ ወሞተ ፡ ወተቀብረ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሰማርያ ።\n\nወቆመ ፡ እምድኅሬሁ ፡ ኢይእር ፡ ገላአዳዊ ፡ ወኰነኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ዕሥራ ፡ ወክልኤተ ፡ ዓመተ ።\n\nወቦ ፡ ሠላሳ ፡ ወክልኤተ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ወይጼዐኑ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ሠላሳ ፡ ወክልኤቱ ፡ አእዱግ ፡ ወቦሙ ፡ ሠላሳ ፡ ወክልኤቱ ፡\nአህጉረ ፡ ወሰመዮን ፡ ዳብራተ ፡ ዘኢያኢር ፡ እስከ ፡ ዮም ፡ ወሀለዋ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ገላአድ ።\n\nወሞተ ፡ ኢያኢር ፡ ወተቀብረ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ረሞ ።","english":"And all of them, the men of Shechem, God delivered them into the hands of their heads, and the curse of Yotham, son of Roboam, reached them.\n\nJudges 10\n\n10\n\nAnd after Abimelech, there arose one who judged Israel, Tola, son of Phua, son of his father's brother, a man from among Issachar, and he dwelt in Samaria, in Mount Ephraim.\n\nAnd he judged Israel for twenty-three years, and he died and was buried in Samaria.\n\nAnd after him arose Yair the Gileadite, and he judged Israel for twenty-two years.\n\nAnd he had thirty-two sons, and they rode upon thirty-two asses, and they had thirty-two cities, and they called them the towns of Yair, until this day, and they were in Gilead.\n\nAnd Yair died and was buried in Ramoth.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage transitions from the Abimelech narrative to the next judge, Tola, and then to Yair, following the sequential pattern of the Book of Judges.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢዮአታም","severity":"info","text":"The name Yotham (ኢዮአታም) is the Geʿez rendering of Jotham, son of Gideon (here called Roboam), whose curse against Shechem is recounted earlier in the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ሰማርያ","severity":"info","text":"Samaria (ሰማርያ) is here identified with Mount Ephraim, reflecting a later geographical tradition that conflates the region with the later capital of the northern kingdom.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወቆመ ፡ እምድኅረ ፡ አቢሜሌክ","severity":"info","text":"This passage parallels Judges 10:1-5, where Tola and Yair (Jair) are listed as judges; the Geʿez text closely follows the biblical sequence.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"ዕሥራ ፡ ወሠለስተ ፡ ዓመተ","severity":"info","text":"Tola is said to have judged Israel for 23 years, and Yair for 22 years, consistent with the Masoretic Text's 23 and 22 years respectively.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ሰመዮን ፡ ዳብራተ ፡ ዘኢያኢር","severity":"info","text":"The towns of Yair (ኢያኢር) are said to be called by that name 'until this day,' indicating a tradition that these place names persisted in the Geʿez cultural memory.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text uses 'Roboam' for Gideon, which is a variant name not found in the standard biblical text; the reason for this substitution is unclear.","The location 'Samaria' for Tola's dwelling may be anachronistic, as Samaria was not built until the time of Omri."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":57,"ref":"p57","source":"ወደገሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ገቢረ ፡ እኩይ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወአምለክዎ ፡ ለበዓልም ፡ ወለአስጠሮት ፡\nወአማልክተ ፡ ሶርያ ፡ ወአማልክተ ፡ ሲዶና ፡ ወአማልክተ ፡ ሞአብ ፡ ወአማልክተ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ ወአማልክተ ፡ ኢሎፍሊ ፡\nወኀደግዎ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ ወኢተቀንዩ ፡ ሎቱ ።\n\nወተምዕዐ ፡ መዐተ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ላዕለ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወአግብኦሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እደ ፡ ኢሎፍሊ ፡ ወውስተ ፡ እዴሆሙ ፡\nለደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ።\n\nወሣቀይዎሙ ፡ ወአጠቅዎሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ በማዕዶተ ፡ ዮርዳንስ ፡ በምድረ ፡ አሞሬዎን ፡ በገላአድ ።\n\nወዐደዉ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ ዮርዳንስ ፡ ይትቃተልዎሙ ፡ ለይሁዳ ፡ ወለብንያም ፡ ወለቤተ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ወተሣቀዩ ፡ ደቂቀ\n፡ እስራኤል ፡ ጥቀ ።\n\nወገዐሩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወይቤሉ ፡ አበስነ ፡ ለከ ፡ እስመ ፡ ኀደግናከ ፡ አምላክነ ፡\nወአምለክናሆሙ ፡ ለበዓልም ።","english":"And the children of Israel did evil before God, and they worshipped Baal, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the gods of Sidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and they abandoned God and did not bow down to him.\n\nAnd the wrath of God was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the children of Ammon.\n\nAnd they oppressed and plundered the children of Israel on the plains of Jordan, in the land of the Amorites, in Gilead.\n\nAnd the children of Ammon crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, and Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim, and the children of Israel were greatly oppressed.\n\nAnd the children of Israel cried out to God, and they said, \"We have sinned against you, for we have abandoned you, our God, and we have worshipped Baal.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ወደገሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ገቢረ ፡ እኩይ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez phrase 'they did evil before God' is a standard formula for apostasy, not a specific legal or moral transgression.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"በዓልም","severity":"info","text":"Baal is a Canaanite deity; the Geʿez form reflects the Hebrew בעל. The plural 'gods' in the list includes Baal as a representative of foreign worship.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአምለክዎ ፡ ለበዓልም ፡ ወለአስጠሮት","severity":"info","text":"The list of foreign gods (Baal, Ashtaroth, gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, Ammon, Philistines) echoes Judges 10:6, but the Geʿez expands the catalogue.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ኢሎፍሊ","severity":"info","text":"The Philistines are a non-Semitic people from the Aegean who settled the coastal plain; their inclusion here reflects the biblical narrative of Judges.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወተምዕዐ ፡ መዐተ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The passage follows a pattern: apostasy, divine wrath, enemy oppression, and repentance. This structure is typical of the Deuteronomistic history.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወገዐሩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The cry of Israel to God and confession of sin (v. 5) is a key moment in Ethiopic homiletics, used to illustrate repentance and divine mercy.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify which historical period of Philistine or Ammonite oppression is intended; the narrative conflates multiple biblical episodes."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":58,"ref":"p58","source":"ወይቤሎሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ አኮኑ ፡ ግብጽ ፡ ወአሞሬዎን ፡ ወደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ ወሞአብ ፡ ወኢሎፍሊ\n፤\n\nወሲዶና ፡ ወምድያም ፡ ወዐማሌቅ ፡ ሣቀዩክሙ ፡ ወገዐርክሙ ፡ ኀቤየ ፡ ወአድኀንኩክሙ ፡ እምእዴሆሙ ።\n\nወአንትሙሰ ፡ ኀደግሙኒ ፡ ወአምለክሙ ፡ ባዕደ ፡ አማልክተ ፤ በበይነ ፡ ዝንቱ ፡ ኢያድኅነክሙ ።\n\nሑሩ ፡ ጽርሑ ፡ ኀበ ፡ አማልክት ፡ እለ ፡ ኀሬክሙ ፡ ለክሙ ፡ ወያድኅኑክሙ ፡ በመዋዕለ ፡ ምንዳቤክሙ ።\n\nወይቤልዎ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ አበስነ ፡ ረስየነ ፡ ዘከመ ፡ ትፈቅድ ፡ ቅድሜከ ፡ ወባሕቱ ፡ እግዚኦ\n፡ አድኅነነ ፡ በዛቲ ፡ ዕለት ።\n\nወአሰሰሉ ፡ አማልክተ ፡ ባዕድ ፡ እምነ ፡ ማእከሎሙ ፡ ወአምለክዎ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ ወአሥመርዎ ፡ ወዐንበዙ ፡ እምነ ፡\nሥቃይ ፡ እስራኤል ።\n\nወዐርጉ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ ወኀደሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ገላአድ ፡ ወወፅኡ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወኀደሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድረ ፡\nመሴፋ ።","english":"And the Lord said to the children of Israel, \"Were not Egypt, and the Amorites, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and the Philistines, and Sidon, and Midian, and Amalek, who pursued you and oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you from their hands? But you have abandoned me and worshipped other gods. In the midst of this, how can I save you? Go, cry out to the gods whom you have chosen for yourselves, and let them save you in the time of your distress.\"\n\nAnd the children of Israel said to the Lord, \"We have sinned; forgive us, as you will before you, and only you, O Lord, save us on this day.\"\n\nAnd they removed the foreign gods from among them, and they worshipped the Lord, and they praised him, and they were delivered from the suffering of Israel.\n\nAnd the children of Ammon went up and dwelt in Gilead, and the children of Israel went out and dwelt in the land of Mizpah.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a narrative unit that shifts from divine rebuke to Israel's repentance and then to a geographical summary of Ammonite and Israelite movements.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢያድኅነክሙ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez interrogative ኢያድኅነክሙ (ʾayadḫnakkemu) is a rhetorical question: 'how can I save you?' It underscores the futility of Israel's appeal after apostasy.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤሎሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The divine speech echoes Judges 10:11–16, where God rebukes Israel for worshipping foreign gods and recalls past deliverance from enemies.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ገላአድ","severity":"info","text":"Gilead (ገላአድ) is a region east of the Jordan, often contested in the Judges narrative. Its mention here aligns with the geographical setting of the Ammonite conflict.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ምድረ ፡ መሴፋ","severity":"info","text":"Mizpah (ምድረ ፡ መሴፋ) appears in Judges 10–11 as a gathering place for Israel; the parallel reinforces the narrative of assembly and judgment.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is part of the Ethiopic Book of Judges, which follows the Septuagint tradition but includes expansions emphasizing repentance and divine mercy.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify which foreign gods were removed; the English draft supplies 'foreign gods' as a general term.","The phrase 'as you will before you' in the English draft is ambiguous; the Geʿez ዘከመ ፡ ትፈቅድ ፡ ቅድሜከ may mean 'as you wish before you' or 'as you will, before you'."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":59,"ref":"p59","source":"ወተባሀሉ ፡ መላእክተ ፡ ሕዝበ ፡ ገላአድ ፡ በበ ፡ በይናቲሆሙ ፡ መኑ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ዘይእኅዝ ፡ ይትቃተሎሙ ፡ ለነ ፡\nለደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ ወይኩን ፡ ርኡሰ ፡ ለኵሉ ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ገላአድ ።\n\nJudices 11\n\n11\nወይፍታሔ ፡ ገለአዳዊ ፡ ጽኑዕ ፡ ወኀያል ፡ ወወልደ ፡ ብእሲት ፡ ዘማ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ወወለደቶ ፡ ለይፍታሔ ፡ ለገላአድ ።\n\nወወለደት ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ለገላአድ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ [ብእሲቱ ፡ አግዓዚት ፡] ወልህቁ ፡ ደቂቃ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡ ብእሲት ፡ ወአውፅእዎ ፡\nለይፍታሔ ፡ ወይቤልዎ ፡ ኢትወርስ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ አቡነ ፡ እስመ ፡ ወልደ ፡ ካልእት ፡ ብእሲት ፡ አንተ ።\n\nወሖረ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ እምነ ፡ ገጸ ፡ አኀዊሁ ፡ ወነበረ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድረ ፡ ጦፍ ፡ ወይፀመድዎ ፡ ለይፍታሔ ፡ ሰብእ ፡\nነዳያን ፡ ወየሐውሩ ፡ ምስሌሁ ።\n\nወእምድኅረ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ ተቃተልዎሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ ለእስራኤል ።\n\nወሖሩ ፡ ሊቃናተ ፡ ገላአድ ፡ ይንሥእዎ ፡ ለይፍታሔ ፡ እምድረ ፡ ጦፍ ።","english":"And the people of Gilead said among themselves, \"Who is the man who will fight for us against the children of Ammon and be the head of all who dwell in Gilead?\"\n\nJudges 11\n\n11\nAnd Jephthah the Gileadite was strong and mighty, and he was the son of a harlot, and she bore Jephthah to Gilead.\n\nAnd she bore to Gilead children, [his wife, the legitimate one], and the children of that woman grew up, and they drove out Jephthah, and they said to him, \"You shall not inherit in the house of our father, for you are the son of another woman.\"\n\nAnd Jephthah went away from the presence of his brothers, and he dwelt in the land of Tob, and needy men gathered to Jephthah, and they went about with him.\n\nAnd after a time, the children of Ammon fought against Israel.\n\nAnd the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah from the land of Tob.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Judices 11","severity":"info","text":"The heading 'Judices 11' marks the start of the Jephthah narrative, corresponding to Judges 11 in the biblical canon. This structural cue is typical of the Ethiopic Octateuch tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ዘማ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term 'ዘማ' (zama) is rendered 'harlot' in the English draft. It denotes a woman of low social standing, often translated as 'prostitute' in biblical contexts, reflecting Jephthah's marginalized status.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይፍታሔ ፡ ገለአዳዊ","severity":"info","text":"This passage closely follows Judges 11:1-5, recounting Jephthah's expulsion by his half-brothers and his flight to the land of Tob. The Geʿez text aligns with the Masoretic tradition in narrative sequence.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ምድረ ፡ ጦፍ","severity":"info","text":"The 'land of Tob' (ምድረ ጦፍ) is a region east of the Jordan, mentioned in 2 Samuel 10 as an Aramean state. In the Jephthah story, it serves as a refuge for outcasts, consistent with its historical reputation.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይፍታሔ","severity":"info","text":"In Ethiopic tradition, Jephthah (ይፍታሔ) is often viewed as a tragic figure, his vow and its consequences highlighted in homiletic literature. This passage sets up his later role as a judge, emphasizing his illegitimate birth as a key plot point.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"አግዓዚት","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez text includes a bracketed phrase '[ብእሲቱ ፡ አግዓዚት ፡]' (his wife, the legitimate one), which is a gloss or variant. Its presence suggests textual fluidity; some manuscripts may omit it, affecting the contrast between Jephthah's mother and the legitimate wife.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ዘማ' (zama) could be interpreted as 'harlot' or more broadly as 'foreign woman', though the context supports the former. The bracketed gloss 'አግዓዚት' (legitimate wife) may be a later addition, leaving the exact status of Jephthah's mother ambiguous in some manuscript traditions."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":60,"ref":"p60","source":"ወይቤልዎ ፡ ለይፍታሔ ፡ ነዐ ፡ ወትኩነነ ፡ መስፍነ ፡ ወንትቃተሎሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ለሊቃናተ ፡ ገላአድ ፡ አኮኑ ፡ አንትሙ ፡ ጸላእክሙኒ ፡ ወአውፃእክሙኒ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቤተ ፡ አቡየ ፡\nወአውፃእክሙኒ ፡ እምኀቤክሙ ፡ ለምንት ፡ እንከ ፡ መጻእክሙ ፡ ኀቤየ ፡ ይእዜ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ተመንደብክሙ ።\n\nወይቤልዎ ፡ ሊቃናተ ፡ ገላአድ ፡ ለይፍታሔ ፡ አኮ ፡ ከመዝ ፤ መጻእነ ፡ ኀቤከ ፡ ከመ ፡ ትሑር ፡ ምስሌነ ፡ ወትትቃተል\n፡ ለነ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ ወትኩነነ ፡ ርእሰ ፡ ለኵሉ ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ገላአድ ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ለሊቃናተ ፡ ገላአድ ፡ እመ ፡ ትነሥኡኒ ፡ አንትሙ ፡ ከመ ፡ እትቃተሎሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡\nእምከመ ፡ አግብኦሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ቅድሜየ ፡ አነ ፡ እከውነክሙ ፡ ርእሰ ።\n\nወይቤልዎ ፡ ሊቃናተ ፡ ገላአድ ፡ ለይፍታሔ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ስምዕነ ፡ በማእከሌነ ፡ ከመ ፡ በከመ ፡ ትቤ ፡ ከማሁ ፡\nንገብር ።","english":"And they said to Jephthah, \"Come, and be our judge, and we will fight against the children of Ammon.\"\n\nAnd Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, \"Is it not you who hated me and drove me out from my father's house? And you drove me out from your presence; why then have you come to me now when you are distressed?\"\n\nAnd the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, \"It is not so; we have come to you so that you may go with us and fight for us against the children of Ammon, and be head over all who dwell in Gilead.\"\n\nAnd Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, \"If you bring me back so that I may fight against the children of Ammon, and if the Lord brings them before me, I will be your head.\"\n\nAnd the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, \"The Lord hears between us that as you say, so we will do.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"መስፍነ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term መስፍነ (masfana) is translated as 'judge' in the English draft, but it can also mean 'leader' or 'ruler'. The context of military leadership suggests a dual role as both judge and commander.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ይፍታሔ","severity":"info","text":"Jephthah's speech echoes Judges 11:7, where he reminds the elders of Gilead that they drove him out. The Geʿez text closely follows the biblical narrative, emphasizing the theme of rejection and return.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ሊቃናተ ፡ ገላአድ","severity":"info","text":"The 'elders of Gilead' (ሊቃናተ ገላአድ) are the tribal leaders who negotiate with Jephthah. In the biblical context, Gilead is a region east of the Jordan River, and its elders represent the collective authority of the people.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is structured as a dialogue with three exchanges: the elders' initial request, Jephthah's reproach, the elders' apology and renewed request, Jephthah's conditional acceptance, and the elders' oath. This rhetorical pattern emphasizes negotiation and covenant.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"እግዚአብሔር ፡ ስምዕነ","severity":"info","text":"The elders' invocation of God as witness ('The Lord hears between us') parallels the biblical covenant formula in Judges 11:10-11, where Jephthah makes a vow before God. This underscores the solemnity of the agreement.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez term መስፍነ could be interpreted as either 'judge' or 'leader', and the English draft chooses 'judge', but the context of military leadership may favor 'leader'.","The phrase 'እግዚአብሔር ስምዕነ' (the Lord hears between us) is ambiguous: it could be a simple statement or a formal oath invoking divine witness."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":61,"ref":"p61","source":"ወሖረ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ሊቃናተ ፡ ገላአድ ፡ ወሤምዎ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ ርእሰ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይኩኖሙ ፡ መስፍነ ፡\nወነገረ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ቃሎ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ በመሴፋ ።\n\nወፈነወ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ መ[ላ]እክተ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ንጉሦሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይብል ፡ ምንትአ ፡ ብከአ ፡ ምስሌየአ\n፡ ከመአ ፡ ትምጻእአ ፡ ትትቃተለኒአ ፡ ውስተአ ፡ ብሔርየአ ።\n\nወይቤ ፡ ንጉሦሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ ለእለ ፡ ለአከ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ እስመአ ፡ ነሥኡአ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ምድርየ ፡ አመ ፡\nየዐርጉ ፡ እምነ ፡ ግብጽ ፡ እምነ ፡ ዐርኖን ፡ እስከ ፡ ኢያቦቅ ፡ ወእስከ ፡ ዮርዳንስ ፡ ወይእዜኒ ፡ አግብእአ ፡ ሊተአ ፡\nበሰላምአ ፡ ወገብኡ ፡ እለ ፡ ለአከ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ኀቤሁ ፡ ለይፍታሔ ።\n\nወፈነወ ፡ [ዓዲ ፡] ይፍታሔ ፡ ሐዋርያተ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ንጉሦሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ ከመዝ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ይቤ ፡ ኢነሥአአ ፡ እስራኤልአ ፡ ምድረከ ፡ ዘሞአብ ፡ ወምድረ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ አመ ፡\nዐርጉ ፡ እምነ ፡ ግብጽ ።","english":"And Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people appointed him for themselves as head, that he might be their judge. And Jephthah recounted all his words before the Lord in Mizpah.\n\nAnd Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the children of Ammon, saying, \"What is this that you have against me, that you come to fight with me in my land?\"\n\nAnd the king of the children of Ammon said to those who came to Jephthah, \"Because Israel took my land when they came up from Egypt, from the Arnon as far as the Jabbok and as far as the Jordan; and now return it to me in peace.\" And those who came to Jephthah returned to him.\n\nAnd Jephthah again sent envoys to the king of the children of Ammon.\n\nAnd Jephthah said to him thus: \"Jephthah says, 'Did Israel take your land of Moab and the land of the children of Ammon when they came up from Egypt?'","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወሖረ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ሊቃናተ ፡ ገላአድ","severity":"info","text":"The passage begins with Jephthah's return to Gilead, transitioning from the elders' plea in the previous passage to his acceptance of leadership.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"መስፍነ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term መስፍነ (mäsfǝnä) means 'judge' and is used here for Jephthah's appointed role, reflecting the biblical office of a leader in pre-monarchic Israel.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"እስመአ ፡ ነሥኡአ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ምድርየ ፡ አመ ፡ የዐርጉ ፡ እምነ ፡ ግብጽ","severity":"info","text":"The Ammonite king's claim that Israel took his land when coming from Egypt echoes Judges 11:13, where Jephthah recounts the same territorial dispute.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ዐርኖን ፡ እስከ ፡ ኢያቦቅ ፡ ወእስከ ፡ ዮርዳንስ","severity":"info","text":"The boundaries Arnon, Jabbok, and Jordan define the disputed Transjordanian territory, historically contested between Israel and Ammon, as in Judges 11:13-22.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ወፈነወ ፡ [ዓዲ ፡] ይፍታሔ ፡ ሐዋርያተ","severity":"info","text":"Jephthah's second embassy to the Ammonite king mirrors the biblical account (Judges 11:14-15), where he reiterates Israel's claim to the land.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ዘሞአብ ፡ ወምድረ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez text adds 'land of Moab' to the Ammonite claim, which is not in the Hebrew or Greek versions; this may reflect a harmonization or scribal expansion.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text includes 'land of Moab' in Jephthah's response, which is absent from the biblical source; this may be an interpretive addition or a textual variant."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":62,"ref":"p62","source":"አላ ፡ ሖሩ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ውስተ ፡ ገዳም ፡ እስከ ፡ ባሕረ ፡ ኤርትራ ፡ ወበጽሑ ፡ እስከ ፡ ቃዴስ ።\n\nወፈነወ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ሐዋርያተ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ ኤዶም ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይብል ፡ አኅልፈኒአ ፡ እንተአ ፡ ምድርከአ ፡\nወአበየ ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ ኤዶም ፡ ወኀበኒ ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ ሞአብ ፡ ለአከ ፡ ወአበየ ፡ ወነበረ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቃዴስ ።\n\nወኀለፈ ፡ እንተ ፡ ገዳም ፡ ወዖዱ ፡ ምድረ ፡ ኤደም ፡ ወምድረ ፡ ሞአብ ፡ ወበጽሑ ፡ መንገለ ፡ ጽባሒሁ ፡ ለምድረ ፡\nሞአብ ፡ ወኀደሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ማዕዶተ ፡ አርኖን ፡ ወኢቦኡ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ደወለ ፡ ሞአብ ፡ እስመ ፡ አርኖን ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ደወሎሙ\n፡ ለሞአብ ።\n\nወፈነወ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ሐዋርያተ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ሴዎን ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ ሔሴቦን ፡ አሞራዊ ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ አኅልፈኒአ ፡\nእንተአ ፡ ምድርከአ ፡ እስከአ ፡ ብሔርየአ ።\n\nወአበየ ፡ ሴዎን ፡ አኅልፎቶሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ እንተ ፡ ደወሉ ፡ ወአስተጋብአ ፡ ሴዎን ፡ ሕዝቦ ፡ ወኀደረ ፡ ውስተ ፡\nኢያሴር ፡ ወተቃተሎሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ።","english":"Israel went into the wilderness as far as the Red Sea, and they arrived as far as Kadesh.\n\nAnd Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Let me pass through your land.” But the king of Edom refused. And they went to the king of Moab, but he also refused. And Israel remained in Kadesh.\n\nAnd they passed through the wilderness, and they traversed the land of Edom and the land of Moab, and they arrived at the eastern border of the land of Moab, and they encamped at the ford of the Arnon. And they crossed into the territory of Moab, for the Arnon is their border.\n\nAnd Israel sent messengers to Sihon, king of Heshbon, the Amorite, and Israel said to him, “Let me pass through your land until my country.”\n\nBut Sihon refused to let Israel pass through his territory, and Sihon gathered his people and encamped at Jaazer, and he fought against Israel.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The itinerary in this passage—wilderness, Red Sea, Kadesh, Edom, Moab, Arnon, Jaazer—follows the route of the Exodus in Numbers 20–21, but here it is applied to the Judges narrative, reflecting a harmonizing tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ባሕረ ፡ ኤርትራ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez phrase baḥra ʾertra (ባሕረ ፡ ኤርትራ) means 'Red Sea' (lit. 'Sea of Eritrea'), a toponym that in Ethiopic tradition often designates the Gulf of Aqaba or the Red Sea proper, not the Mediterranean.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ሴዎን ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ ሔሴቦን ፡ አሞራዊ","severity":"info","text":"Sihon, king of Heshbon the Amorite, is a figure from Numbers 21:21–31, where Israel requests passage through his land and is refused, leading to battle. The Geʿez text closely echoes the biblical account.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured as a series of failed diplomatic missions (to Edom, Moab, Sihon) followed by military conflict, mirroring the pattern of the biblical narrative in Numbers 20–21 but inserted into the Jephthah cycle.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is part of the Ethiopic Book of Judges, which expands the biblical text with traditions from the Octateuch and other sources, reflecting a late antique or medieval reception that harmonizes Judges with the Exodus story.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢያሴር","severity":"caution","text":"The toponym 'Jaazer' (ኢያሴር) is a variant of 'Jazer' (Numbers 21:32). The Geʿez spelling with initial ኢ (ʿ) may reflect a scribal or dialectal form; the location is uncertain but traditionally identified with a site east of the Jordan.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether the wilderness (ገዳም) is the same as the biblical 'wilderness of Paran' or 'wilderness of Zin'; the reading taken is a general wilderness.","The phrase 'they traversed the land of Edom and the land of Moab' (ወዖዱ ፡ ምድረ ፡ ኤደም ፡ ወምድረ ፡ ሞአብ) may imply peaceful passage or military conquest; the English draft interprets it as traversal without explicit conflict."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":63,"ref":"p63","source":"ወአግብኦሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ አምላከ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ለሴዎን ፡ ወለኵሉ ፡ ሕዝቡ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴሆሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡\nወቀተልዎሙ ፡ ወተወርስዎሙ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ምድሮሙ ፡ ለአሞሬዎን ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ምድር ።\n\nወተወርሱ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ደወሎሙ ፡ ለአሞሬዎን ፡ እምነ ፡ አርኖን ፡ እስከ ፡ ኢያቦቅ ፡ ወእምነ ፡ ገዳም ፡ እስከ ፡ ዮርዳንስ\n።\n\nወይእዜኒ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ አምላከ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ አሰሰሎሙ ፡ ለአሞሬዎን ፡ እምነ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ ገጾሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡\nወአንተኑ ፡ ትትወረስ ፡ በእብሬትከ ።\n\nአኮኑ ፡ ዘአውረሰከ ፡ ከሞስ ፡ አምላክከ ፡ ኪያሁ ፡ ዳእሙ ፡ ትትወረስ ፡ ወኵሎ ፡ ዘአውረሰነ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ አምላክነ\n፡ ቅድሜነ ፡ ኪያሁ ፡ ንትዋረስ ።\n\nወይእዜኒ ፡ ቦኑ ፡ አንተ ፡ ትኄይስ ፡ ለበላቅ ፡ ወልደ ፡ ሴፓር ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ ሞአብ ፡ ቦኑ ፡ ባእሰ ፡ ተበአሰ ፡ ምስለ\n፡ እስራኤል ፡ አው ፡ ፀብአ ፡ ተፃብኦሙ ፡ ለቤተ ፡ እስራኤል ፤","english":"And the Lord God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people into the hands of Israel. And Israel killed them and dispossessed them. Israel took all the land of the Amorites who dwelt in that land.\n\nAnd they took all the cities of the Amorites from Arnon as far as Jabbok, and from the wilderness as far as the Jordan.\n\nAnd now the Lord God of Israel has delivered the Amorites before the face of Israel. And you, would you be dispossessed by your own will?\n\nIs it not that your God has dispossessed him for you? Likewise, you are dispossessed. And all that the Lord our God has dispossessed before us, we are dispossessed of it.\n\nAnd now, what are you, that you reproach Balak son of Sippor, king of Moab? Has he done evil, or has evil been done to him with Israel? Or has he made war, or has war been made against him by the house of Israel?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage shifts from third-person narrative to second-person direct address, a rhetorical device common in Ethiopic homiletic expansions of biblical history.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ትትወረስ","severity":"info","text":"The verb ትትወረስ (tattawarras) is a 2nd person singular imperfect passive of ወረሰ (warasa, 'to inherit, dispossess'), here meaning 'you are dispossessed' or 'you will be dispossessed,' playing on the theme of divine grant of land.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ሴዎን","severity":"info","text":"Sihon (ሴዎን) is the Amorite king whose defeat is narrated in Numbers 21:21–31; the Ethiopic text closely follows the biblical account of Israel's conquest of Transjordan.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"በላቅ ወልደ ሴፓር","severity":"info","text":"Balak son of Sippor (በላቅ ወልደ ሴፓር) is the Moabite king who hired Balaam to curse Israel (Numbers 22–24); his mention here ties the passage to the broader biblical narrative of Israel's wilderness journey.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The rhetorical question about Balak's guilt or innocence reflects an Ethiopic exegetical tradition that explores moral ambiguities in the conquest narratives, possibly from homiletic sources.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether the second-person address is directed at a contemporary audience or a figure within the narrative; the English draft interprets it as addressed to an implied 'you' (perhaps Israel or a reader)."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":64,"ref":"p64","source":"በሔሴቦን ፡ ወበአዋልዲሃ ፡ ወበኢያዜር ፡ ወበአዋልዲሃ ፡ ወበኵሉ ፡ አህጉር ፡ ዘኀበ ፡ ዮርዳንስ ፡ ፫፻ዓመተ ፤ ለምንት ፡\nኢያድኀንዎሙ ፡ በዝንቱ ፡ መዋዕል ።\n\nወአነኒ ፡ ኢአበስኩከ ፡ ለከ ፡ ወአንተሰ ፡ ትገብር ፡ እኪተ ፡ ምስሌየ ፡ ከመ ፡ ትትቃተለኒ ፡ ወይፍታሕ ፡ እግዚአብሔር\n፡ ዘውእቱአ ፡ ይፈትሕአ ፡ ዮምአ ፡ ማእከለአ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤልአ ፡ ወማእከለ ፡ ደቂቀአ ፡ ዐሞንአ ።\n\nወአበዮሙ ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ ወኢሰምዐ ፡ ቃለ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ዘለአከ ፡ ሎቱ ።\n\nወመጽአ ፡ መንፈሰ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ወዐደወ ፡ እምነ ፡ ምድረ ፡ ገላአድ ፡ ወዘምናሴ ፡ ወዐደወ ፡\nእምነ ፡ ደወለ ፡ ገላአድ ፡ ወእምነ ፡ ደወለ ፡ ገላአድ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ማዕዶቶሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ።\n\nወበፅዐ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ብፅዓተ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ ወይቤ ፡ ለእመ ፡ አግብኦሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴየ ፤\n\nዘመጽአ ፡ ወወፅአ ፡ እምነ ፡ ኆኅተ ፡ ቤትየ ፡ ወተቀበለኒ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ገባእኩ ፡ በዳኅን ፡ እምነ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ደቂቅ ፡\nዐሞን ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ እሬስዮ ፡ መሥዋዕተ ።","english":"of Heshbon and its villages, and of Jazer and its villages, and of all the cities that were by the Jordan, three hundred years. Why have you delivered them in these days?\n\nAnd I have wronged you, and you do evil to me, as if you would kill me. But the Lord God will judge, who is the one who will judge between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.\n\nAnd their father, the king of the children of Ammon, heard the voice of Jephthah, which he spoke to him.\n\nAnd the Spirit of the Lord God came upon Jephthah, and he passed from the land of Gilead and Manasseh, and he passed from the border of Gilead, and from the border of Gilead into the midst of the children of Ammon.\n\nAnd Jephthah made a vow to the Lord God, and said, If I bring the children of Ammon into my hand,\n\nwhoever comes out from the door of my house and meets me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, I will sacrifice to the Lord God.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from a historical summary of Amorite conquest to a direct address by Jephthah, then to narrative action. The vow formula in the final paragraph introduces a tragic foreshadowing.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢያድኀንዎሙ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez verb ኢያድኀንዎሙ (ʾaydaḫanwomu) means 'you have delivered them' and is a second-person plural perfect. The English draft renders it as 'you have delivered them,' but the subject is ambiguous in context.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ይፍታሔ","severity":"info","text":"Jephthah (ይፍታሔ) is a biblical figure from Judges 11. The Geʿez text here closely follows the narrative of Jephthah's vow and the Ammonite conflict, echoing Judges 11:30-31.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ገላአድ","severity":"info","text":"Gilead (ገላአድ) is a region east of the Jordan, central to the Jephthah narrative. The Geʿez text mentions 'the land of Gilead and Manasseh,' reflecting the territorial disputes in Judges 11.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"፫፻ዓመተ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'three hundred years' (፫፻ዓመተ) is a chronological note. Its source and accuracy are uncertain; it may be a scribal gloss or a miscalculation, as the biblical text does not specify this duration.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"መሥዋዕተ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term መሥዋዕተ (maśwāʿta) means 'sacrifice.' Jephthah's vow to sacrifice the first person to meet him is a well-known episode in Ethiopic tradition, often cited in homilies on vows and tragedy.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The subject of 'you have delivered them' (ኢያድኀንዎሙ) is ambiguous: it could refer to the Israelites or to God. The reading taken assumes a direct address to God, consistent with the preceding context.","The phrase 'three hundred years' (፫፻ዓመተ) is ambiguous in its referent; it may be a scribal addition or a chronological note from a source not in the biblical text."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":65,"ref":"p65","source":"ወዐደወ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ ከመ ፡ ይትቃተሎሙ ፡ ወአግብኦሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴሁ ።\n\nወቀተሎሙ ፡ እምነ ፡ አሮኤር ፡ እስከ ፡ ይበጽሕ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኤሞይት ፡ ፳አህጉረ ፡ እስከ ፡ አቤል ፡ አዕጻደ ፡ ወይን ፤\nዐቢይ ፡ ቀትል ፡ ጥቀ ፤ ወገረሩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ ቅድመ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ።\n\nወአተወ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ውስተ ፡ መሴፋ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤቱ ፡ ወናሁ ፡ ወለቱ ፡ ወፅአት ፡ ወተቀበለቶ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ከበሮ ፡\nወመሰንቆ ፡ ወይእቲ ፡ ባሕቲታ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ እንተ ፡ ያፈቅር ፡ ወአልቦ ፡ ባዕደ ፡ ውሉደ ፡ እንበሌሃ ፡ ኢወልደ ፡ ወኢወለተ ።\n\nወሶበ ፡ ርእያ ፡ ሰጠጠ ፡ አልባሲሁ ፡ ወይቤ ፡ አሌ ፡ ሊተ ፡ ወለትየ ፡ ዐቀጽክኒ ፡ ወለዕጹብ ፡ ኮንክኒ ፡ ውስተ ፡\nአዕይንትየ ፡ ወአንሰ ፡ ፈታሕኩ ፡ አፉየ ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ በእንቲአኪ ፡ ወኢይክል ፡ ዐሊዎቶ ።\n\nወትቤሎ ፡ አባ ፡ ለእመ ፡ በእንቲአየ ፡ ፈትሕከ ፡ አፉከ ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ረስየኒ ፡ ከመ ፡ ወፅአ ፡ እምነ ፡\nአፉከ ፡ እስመ ፡ ገብረ ፡ ለከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ በቀለ ፡ እምነ ፡ ፀርከ ፡ እምነ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ።","english":"And Jephthah returned to the children of Ammon to fight them, and the Lord delivered them into his hand.\n\nAnd he killed them from Aroer until he reached the land of the Ammonites, twenty cities, as far as Abel of the Vineyards. It was a very great slaughter, and the children of Ammon were afraid before the children of Israel.\n\nAnd Jephthah came to Mizpah, to his house, and behold, his daughter came out and received him with drum and lyre. And she was his only one, whom he loved, and he had no other children besides her, neither son nor daughter.\n\nAnd when he saw her, he tore his garments and said, “Alas for me and my daughter! You have afflicted me and become a sorrow in my eyes, and I opened my mouth to the Lord concerning you, and I cannot undo it.”\n\nAnd she said to him, “Father, if you opened your mouth to the Lord concerning me, accept me as it came out of your mouth, for the Lord has done for you vengeance from your enemy, from the children of Ammon.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Jephthah's daughter greets him with drum and lyre, a detail absent from the biblical account (Judges 11:34), which only mentions her coming out to meet him.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ከበሮ (kabaro)","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term 'kabaro' means 'drum', a musical instrument not specified in the Hebrew text, reflecting local cultural additions.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The narrative echoes Judges 11:34-35, where Jephthah's daughter comes out to meet him, but the Geʿez version adds her musical greeting and his lament.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic Octateuch tradition often expands biblical narratives with local color, such as musical instruments, to enhance the story's emotional impact.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage transitions from Jephthah's military victory to his personal tragedy, marked by the daughter's joyful reception and his subsequent grief.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic version emphasizes Jephthah's vow and its consequences, a theme that resonates in later Christian homilies on the dangers of rash oaths.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT1700Judges","label":"source edition: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether the daughter's greeting is part of a celebration or a prelude to her sacrifice; the reading taken is that it is a joyful welcome."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":66,"ref":"p66","source":"ወትቤሎ ፡ ለአቡሃ ፡ ረሲ ፡ ሊተ ፡ ዛተ ፡ ቃለ ፡ አብሐኒ ፡ ክልኤተ ፡ አውራኅ ፡ እሑር ፡ ወእዕረግ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አድባር\n፡ ወእብኪ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ድንግልናየ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ካልኣትየ ።\n\nወይቤላ ፡ ሑሪ ፡ ወፈነዋ ፡ ክልኤተ ፡ አውራኀ ፡ ወሖረት ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ወካልኣቲሃ ፡ ወበከየት ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ድንግልናሃ ፡\nምስለ ፡ ካልኣቲሃ ፡ በውስተ ፡ አድባር ።\n\nወእምድኅረ ፡ ኀልቀ ፡ ክልኤቱ ፡ አውራኅ ፡ ገብአት ፡ ኀበ ፡ አቡሃ ፡ ወገብረ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ብፅዓቲሁ ፡ ዘበፅዐ ፡\nወይእቲሰ ፡ ኢታአምር ፡ ብእሴ ፡ ወኮነ ፡ ሕግ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እስራኤል ።\n\nበበ ፡ መዋዕለ ፡ ዕለታ ፡ የሐውራ ፡ አዋልደ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ይበክያሃ ፡ ለወለተ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ገለአዳዊ ፡ ረቡዐ ፡\nመዋዕለ ፡ ለለዓመት ።\n\nJudices 12\n\n12\nወተጋብኡ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ወመጽኡ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሴፊና ፡ ወይቤልዎ ፡ ለይፍታሔ ፡ ለምንት ፡ ሖርከ ፡ ትትቃተሎሙ ፡\nለደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ ወኢጸዋዕከነ ፡ ከመ ፡ ንሑር ፡ ምስሌከ ፤ ናውዒ ፡ ቤተከ ፡ ላዕሌከ ፡ በእሳት ።","english":"And he said to her, \"My father, let me go, for this word has saved me. Two months I will go and wander in the mountains, and I will weep over my virginity with my companions.\"\n\nAnd he said to her, \"Go,\" and he sent her away for two months. And she went, she and her companions, and she wept over her virginity with her companions in the mountains.\n\nAnd after the two months were completed, she returned to her father, and Jephthah fulfilled his vow which he had vowed. And she, the woman, knew the man, and it became a custom in Israel.\n\nAt each season of the year, the children of Israel go and weep for the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite, four days each year.\n\nJudges 12\n\n12\n\nAnd the children of Ephraim gathered and came to Sepina, and they said to Jephthah, \"Why did you go to fight the children of Ammon and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage combines two distinct episodes: Jephthah's daughter's story and the Ephraimite conflict (Judges 12). The Geʿez text marks the transition with a chapter heading, but the English draft runs them together.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ረሲ ፡ ሊተ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase ረሲ ፡ ሊተ (rǝsi lita) is a first-person imperative meaning 'let me go' or 'release me'. The English draft renders it as 'let me go', which is appropriate.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The annual four-day mourning for Jephthah's daughter is unique to the Ethiopic tradition and not found in the Hebrew or Greek versions of Judges. It reflects a local liturgical or folk practice.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic text adds a ritualized commemoration of Jephthah's daughter, transforming the biblical narrative into an etiology for an annual observance. This is a distinctive reception within the Geʿez Christian tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT1700Judges","label":"source edition: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ሴፊና","severity":"caution","text":"The place name ሴፊና (Sefina) is not attested in the Masoretic Text or Septuagint for Judges 12. It may be a corruption or a local toponym; the English draft retains it as 'Sepina'.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Judices 12","severity":"info","text":"The chapter heading 'Judices 12' corresponds to Judges 12 in the canonical book. The Geʿez text includes the Ephraimite conflict (Judges 12:1-6) but the English draft omits the intervening verses about Jephthah's daughter's fate.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether Jephthah's daughter was actually sacrificed or merely dedicated to virginity; the phrase 'she knew the man' is ambiguous.","The relationship between the two episodes (daughter and Ephraimites) is unclear; the chapter heading may indicate a separate source or a scribal insertion."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":67,"ref":"p67","source":"ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ግፉዕ ፡ አነ ፡ ወሕዝብየ ፡ ወደቂቀ ፡ ዐሞን ፡ ሣቀዩነ ፡ ጥቀ ፡ ወጸራኅነ ፡ ለክሙ ፡\nወኢያድኀንክሙነ ፡ እምነ ፡ እዴሆሙ ።\n\nወሶበ ፡ ርኢኩ ፡ ከመ ፡ አልቦ ፡ ዘያድኅን ፡ አግባእክዋ ፡ ለነፍስየ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴየ ፡ ወዐደውኩ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡\nዐሞን ፡ ወአግብኦሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ቅድሜየ ፡ ወለምንት ፡ ዐረግሙ ፡ ኀቤየ ፡ ዮም ፡ ትትቃተሉኒ ።\n\nወአስተጋብኦሙ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ለኵሉ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ገላአድ ፡ ወተቃተሎሙ ፡ ለኤፍሬም ፡ ወቀተልዎሙ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ገላአድ ፡\nለኤፍሬም ፤ እስመ ፡ ይቤልዎሙ ፡ ድኁናነ ፡ ኤፍሬም ።\n\nወበጽሕዎሙ ፡ በማእከለ ፡ መናሴ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ገላአድ ፡ በውስተ ፡ ማዕዶተ ፡ ዮርዳንስ ፡ ዘኤፍሬም ፡ ወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡\nይቤሉ ፡ ድኁናነ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ንዕዱ ፡ ይቤልዎሙ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ገላአድ ፡ አንትሙኒ ፡ ቦኑ ፡ እምነ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ አንትሙ ፡\nወይቤሉ ፡ ኢኮነ ።\n\nወይቤልዎሙ ፡ በሉ ፡ ማሕፀን ፡ ወአበዩ ፡ ብሂለ ፡ ወአኀዝዎሙ ፡ ወቀተልዎሙ ፡ በውስተ ፡ ማዕዶተ ፡ ዮርዳንስ ፡ ወወድቁ\n፡ እምነ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ይእተ ፡ አሚረ ፡ አርባዕቱ ፡ እልፍ ፡ ወዕሥራ ፡ ምእት ።","english":"And he said to them, \"I am a strong man, Jephthah, and my people and the children of Ammon have oppressed us greatly, and I have cried out to you, and you have not saved me from their hands.\"\n\nAnd when I saw that there was no one who would save me, I entrusted my soul into my own hands and I went to the children of Ammon, and the Lord brought them before me, and why have you come to me today to fight me?\n\nAnd Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead, and they fought against Ephraim, and the men of Gilead killed the men of Ephraim, because they said to them, \"Say, 'Shibboleth,' Ephraim.\"\n\nAnd the men of Gilead overtook them in the midst of Manasseh, at the fords of the Jordan of Ephraim, and then when they said, \"Say, 'Shibboleth,' Ephraim,\" the men of Gilead said to them, \"Are you not from Ephraim?\" And they said, \"No.\"\n\nAnd they said to them, \"Say, 'Shibboleth,'\" and they refused to say it, and they seized them and killed them at the fords of the Jordan, and from Ephraim fell that number: four thousand and twenty hundred.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ይፍታሔ","severity":"info","text":"Jephthah, the judge, is named in Geʿez as Yəftāḥe, a direct transliteration of the Hebrew Yiftāḥ.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ድኁናነ ፡ ኤፍሬም","severity":"info","text":"The shibboleth test (Judges 12:6) is rendered as 'Say, Shibboleth, Ephraim,' closely following the biblical account.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The episode of Jephthah and the Ephraimites (Judges 12) is a narrative of inter-tribal conflict, with the shibboleth test as a key cultural marker.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from Jephthah's direct speech to a third-person account of the battle and the shibboleth test, marking a transition in narrative voice.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The sequence follows the biblical order: Jephthah's complaint, the battle, the shibboleth test, and the casualty count.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez version of Judges is part of the Ethiopic Octateuch, transmitted in manuscripts such as those at the British Library and other European collections.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990022646510203941","label":"The text of the Ethiopic version of the Octateuch, with special reference to the age and value of the Haverford manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022646510203941"},{"key":"hollis:alma990022651900203941","label":"The legend of the Queen of Sheba in the tradition of Axum","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022651900203941"},{"key":"hollis:alma990024356250203941","label":"The Octateuch in Ethiopic according to the text of the Paris Codex, with the variants of five other manuscripts","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990024356250203941"},{"key":"hollis:alma99153733238703941","label":"Octateuch in Ethiopic: According to the Text of the Paris Codex, With the Variants of Five Other Manuscripts","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/99153733238703941"},{"key":"hollis:alma99156706365703941","label":"Congress volume Aberdeen 2019","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/99156706365703941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The number 'four thousand and twenty hundred' (፬፻፳፻) is ambiguous: it could mean 4,200 or 6,000 depending on interpretation of the Ethiopic numeral system."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":68,"ref":"p68","source":"ወኰነኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ስድስተ ፡ ዓመተ ፡ ወሞተ ፡ ይፍታሔ ፡ ገለአዳዊ ፡ ወተቀብረ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሀገሩ ፡\nገላአድ ።\n\nወኰነኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ እምድኅሬሁ ፡ ሔሴቦን ፡ ዘእምነ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ልሔም ።\n\nወወለደ ፡ ፴ደቂቀ ፡ ወ፴አዋልደ ፡ እለ ፡ አስተዋሰበ ፡ አፍአ ፡ ወ፴አንስተ ፡ ነሥአ ፡ ለደቂቁ ፡ እምነ ፡ አፍአ ፡\nወኰነኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ፯ዓመተ ።\n\nወሞተ ፡ ሔሴቦን ፡ ወተቀብረ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ልሔም ።\n\nወኰነኖሙ ፡ እምድኅሬሁ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ኤሎም ፡ ዛቡሎናዊ ፡ ወኰነኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ፲ዓመተ ።\n\nወሞተ ፡ ኤሎም ፡ ዛቡሎናዊ ፡ በኤሎም ፡ ወቀበርዎ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድረ ፡ ዛቡሎን ።\n\nወኰነኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ እምድኅሬሁ ፡ ለቦን ፡ ኤፍራታዊ ።\n\nወተወልዱ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ፵ደቂቅ ፡ ወ፴ደቂቀ ፡ ደቂቁ ፡ ወይጼዐኑ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ፸አዕዱግ ፡ ወኰነኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ሰመንተ ፡\nዓመተ ።\n\nወሞተ ፡ ለቦን ፡ ወልደ ፡ ኤሎም ፡ ኤፍራቶናዊ ፡ ወቀበርዎ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኤፍራት ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድረ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ውስተ ፡\nደብረ ፡ ለነቅ ።","english":"And he judged Israel, Jephthah, six years. And Jephthah the Gileadite died, and was buried in his city, Gilead.\n\nAnd after him, Heshbon, who was from Bethlehem, judged Israel.\n\nAnd he begot thirty sons and thirty daughters, whom he gave in marriage to the daughters of the land, and he took thirty women for his sons from the land. And he judged Israel seven years.\n\nAnd Heshbon died, and was buried in Bethlehem.\n\nAnd after him, Elon the Zebulonite judged Israel. And Elon judged Israel ten years.\n\nAnd Elon the Zebulonite died in Elon, and they buried him in the land of Zebulon.\n\nAnd after him, Abdon the Pirathonite judged Israel.\n\nAnd forty sons were born to him, and thirty sons of sons, and they rode upon seventy asses. And he judged Israel eight years.\n\nAnd Abdon, son of Elon the Pirathonite, died, and they buried him in Pirathon, in the land of Ephraim, on Mount Leneq.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a succession of brief judge summaries, each following a formula: name, origin, years of judging, death, and burial. The pattern matches the minor judges in the biblical Book of Judges.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ሔሴቦን","severity":"info","text":"Heshbon (ሔሴቦን) is a judge not found in the standard Masoretic text of Judges; the name may derive from a place name or a variant tradition. The Geʿez text presents him as from Bethlehem.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The numbers of children and donkeys (forty sons, thirty grandsons, seventy asses) are symbolic of wealth and status in the ancient Near East, not intended as precise historical record.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The list of minor judges (Heshbon, Elon, Abdon) parallels the sequence in the biblical Book of Judges (10:12–12:15), but the Geʿez version adds Heshbon and modifies names and durations.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The total years given for these judges (Jephthah 6, Heshbon 7, Elon 10, Abdon 8) sum to 31 years, differing from the Masoretic totals. The Geʿez tradition may reflect a separate chronological reckoning.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is part of the Ethiopic Octateuch tradition, which often expands or reworks biblical narratives. The inclusion of Heshbon and the detailed family of Abdon are distinctive to this reception.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of Heshbon is uncertain; it may be a corruption of a biblical name or a local tradition. The burial site 'Mount Leneq' for Abdon is not identified in standard sources."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":69,"ref":"p69","source":"Judices 13\n\n13\nወደገሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ገቢረ ፡ እኩይ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወአግብኦሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እደ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ፵ዓመ\n።\n\nወሀለወ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ዘእምነ ፡ ሰራሕ ፡ ዘእምነ ፡ ነገደ ፡ ዳን ፡ ወስሙ ፡ መኖሔ ፡ ወብእሲቱሰ ፡ መካን ፡ ይእቲ ፡\nወኢትወልድ ።\n\nወአስተርአያ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለብእሲቱ ፡ ወይቤላ ፡ ናሁ ፡ መካን ፡ አንቲ ፡ ወኢወለድኪ ፡ ወትፀንሲ ፡\nወትወልዲ ፡ ወልደ ።\n\nወይእዜኒ ፡ ተዓቀቢ ፡ ወኢትስተዪ ፡ ወይነ ፡ ወሜሰ ፡ ወኢትብልዒ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ዘርኩስ ።\n\nእስመ ፡ ናሁ ፡ ትፀንሲ ፡ ወትወልዲ ፡ ወልደ ፡ ወኢይለክፎ ፡ ርእሶ ፡ ኀፂን ፡ እስመ ፡ ቅዱስ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ናዝራዊ ፡\nለእግዚአብሔር ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ሕፃን ፡ እምነ ፡ ከርሠ ፡ እሙ ፡ ወውእቱ ፡ ይእኅዝ ፡ ያድኅኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ እምነ ፡ እደ ፡\nአሎፍል ።\n\nወሖረት ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ብእሲት ፡ ወነገረቶ ፡ ለምታ ፡ ወትቤሎ ፡ ብእሴ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ መጽአ ፡ ኀቤየ ፡ ወርእየቱ ፡ ከመ\n፡ ርእየተ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወግሩም ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ጥቀ ፡ ወተስእልክዎ ፡ እምአይቴ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ወኢያይድዐኒ ፡ ስሞ ።","english":"And the children of Israel did evil before the Lord, and He delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.\n\nAnd there was a man from Sorek, from the tribe of Dan, and his name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and she did not bear children.\n\nAnd the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman, and said to her, \"Behold, you are barren and have not borne children, but you will conceive and bear a son.\n\nAnd now, beware, and do not drink wine or strong drink, and do not eat any unclean thing.\n\nFor behold, you will conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall touch his head, for he is holy, a Nazirite to the Lord; he is a child from his mother's womb, and he will take and deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines.\"\n\nAnd the woman went and told her husband, and said to him, \"My lord, the Lord came to me, and I saw him as the appearance of the angel of the Lord, and he was very great; and I asked him whence he was, but he did not tell me his name.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Judices 13","severity":"info","text":"The passage is numbered as chapter 13, following the chapter divisions of the Ethiopic Judges, which align with the biblical narrative of Samson's birth.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ናዝራዊ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Nazirite' (ናዝራዊ) refers to a person consecrated to God, bound by vows including abstention from wine and uncut hair, as in Numbers 6.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወደገሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ገቢረ ፡ እኩይ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"This opening echoes Judges 13:1, where Israel again did evil before the Lord, leading to Philistine oppression for forty years.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"አሎፍል","severity":"info","text":"The Philistines (አሎፍል) are the traditional adversaries in Judges 13–16, and the forty-year oppression is a narrative motif found in the Ethiopic version.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ወኢይለክፎ ፡ ርእሶ ፡ ኀፂን","severity":"info","text":"The instruction that no razor shall touch the child's head parallels the Nazirite vow in Numbers 6:5, and is unique to the Samson narrative in Judges.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"መኖሔ","severity":"info","text":"Manoah (መኖሔ) is identified as from Sorek and the tribe of Dan, details consistent with the Ethiopic tradition, which expands on the biblical account.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether the angel is identified as Gabriel, as in some traditions; the angel is simply 'the angel of the Lord'."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":70,"ref":"p70","source":"ወይቤለኒ ፡ ናሁ ፡ ትፀንሲ ፡ ወትወልዲ ፡ ወልደ ፡ ወይእዜኒ ፡ ኢትስተዪ ፡ ወይነ ፡ ወሜሰ ፡ ወኢትብልዒ ፡ ኵሎ ፡\nዘርኩስ ፡ እስመ ፡ ናዝራዊ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ሕፃን ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ እምነ ፡ ከርሠ ፡ እሙ ፡ እስከ ፡ አመ ፡ ይመውት ።\n\nወሰአለ ፡ መኖሔ ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወይቤ ፡ እግዚኦ ፡ ብእሴ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ዘፈኖከ ፡ ኀቤነ ፡ ለይምጻእ ፡\nኀቤነ ፡ ወያለብወነ ፡ ምንተ ፡ ንገብር ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ ሕፃን ፡ ዘይትወለድ ።\n\nወሰምዖ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ቃሎ ፡ ለመኖሔ ፡ ወመጽአ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ኀበ ፡ ብእሲቱ ፡ ዓዲ ፡ ደግመ ፡ እንዘ\n፡ ትነብር ፡ ውስተ ፡ ገዳም ፡ ወኢሀለወ ፡ መኖሔ ፡ ምታ ፡ ምስሌሃ ።\n\nወሮጸት ፡ ብእሲቱ ፡ ወአፍጠነት ፡ ወነገረቶ ፡ ለምታ ፡ ወትቤሎ ፡ ናሁ ፡ ኦስተርአየኒ ፡ ዝክቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ዘመጽአ ፡\nኀቤየ ፡ ቀዲሙ ።\n\nወተንሥአ ፡ መኖሔ ፡ ወሖረ ፡ ወተለዋ ፡ ለብእሲቱ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ አንተኑ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ዝክቱ ፡\nብእሲ ፡ ዘተናገርከ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ብእሲትየ ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ መልአክ ፡ አነ ፡ ውእቱ ።","english":"And he said to me, \"Now you will conceive and bear a son. And now, do not drink wine or mead, and do not eat any unclean thing, for the child is a Nazirite of the Lord from his mother's womb until the day he dies.\"\n\nAnd Manoah asked of the Lord, and he said, \"O Lord, my Lord, the man whom you sent to us, let him come to us and teach us what we should do for that child who will be born.\"\n\nAnd the Lord heard the voice of Manoah, and the angel of the Lord came to his wife again a second time while she was sitting in the field, and Manoah was not there with her.\n\nAnd his wife ran and hastened and told her husband, and she said to him, \"Now that man who came to me before has appeared to me.\"\n\nAnd Manoah arose and went and followed his wife to where that man was, and he said to him, \"Are you that man who spoke with my wife?\" And he said to him, \"I am that angel.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ናዝራዊ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term nāzrāwi (Nazirite) reflects the Hebrew Nazirite vow, a key concept in the Samson narrative. The angel instructs the mother to observe Nazirite restrictions for the child from conception.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤለኒ ፡ ናሁ ፡ ትፀንሲ","severity":"info","text":"The angel's speech echoes Judges 13:3-5, where the angel announces Samson's birth and Nazirite status. The Geʿez version closely follows the biblical account.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"መኖሔ","severity":"info","text":"Manoah (Geʿez: Manoḥe) is Samson's father, a figure from the tribe of Dan. The narrative here expands on the biblical account, adding dialogue and detail about the angel's second visit.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወሰአለ ፡ መኖሔ","severity":"info","text":"This passage shifts from the angel's instructions to Manoah's prayer, then to the angel's second appearance. The structure emphasizes divine guidance and human response, typical of the Ethiopic Judges narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ናዝራዊ","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic tradition emphasizes Samson's Nazirite status from the womb, a detail that aligns with later monastic ideals of purity. This reflects the text's reception in a Christian context.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990022646510203941","label":"The text of the Ethiopic version of the Octateuch, with special reference to the age and value of the Haverford manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022646510203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez phrase 'ኢትስተዪ ፡ ወይነ ፡ ወሜሰ' could be read as 'do not drink wine or mead' (as in the English draft) or more broadly as 'do not drink any intoxicating beverage'; the translation follows the biblical parallel.","The identity of the angel is not explicitly named as Gabriel or another figure; the text simply says 'angel of the Lord'."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":71,"ref":"p71","source":"ወይቤሎ ፡ መኖሔ ፡ ይእዜ ፡ ሶበ ፡ በጽሐ ፡ ቃልከ ፡ ምንት ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ነገሩ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ ሕፃን ፡ ወግብሩ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለመኖሔ ፡ እምነ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ዘእቤላ ፡ ለብእሲትከ ፡ ተዓቀቡ ።\n\nእምነ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ዘይወፅእ ፡ እምነ ፡ ወይን ፡ ኢይብላዕ ፡ ወወይነ ፡ ወሜሰ ፡ ኢይስተይ ፡ ወኵሎ ፡ ርኩሰ ፡ ኢይብላዕ ፡\nወኵሎ ፡ ዘአዘዝክዋ ፡ ተዓቀቡ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ መኖሔ ፡ ለመልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ናጌብረከ ፡ ወንግበር ፡ ለከ ፡ ማሕሥአ ፡ ጠሊ ፡ ቅድሜከ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለመኖሔ ፡ እመሰ ፡ አገበርከኒ ፡ ኢይበልዕ ፡ እንከ ፡ እክለከ ፡ ወእመሰ ፡\nለእግዚአብሔር ፡ ገበርከ ፡ መሥዋዕተ ፡ ግበር ፡ ሎቱ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ መኖሔ ፡ ለመልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ መኑ ፡ ስምከ ፡ ከመ ፡ አመ ፡ በጽሐ ፡ ቃልከ ፡ ንሰብሕከ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለምንት ፡ ዝንቱ ፡ ዘትሴአል ፡ ስምየ ፡ ወመድምም ፡ ውእቱ ።","english":"And he said to him, \"Manoah, now that your word has come to pass, what is the matter of that child and his deed?\"\n\nAnd the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, \"From everything that I said to your wife, beware.\"\n\n\"From everything that comes from wine, do not eat; and wine and mead, do not drink; and every unclean thing, do not eat. And everything that I commanded her, beware.\"\n\nAnd Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, \"Let us prepare for you and make for you a kid goat before you.\"\n\nAnd the angel of the Lord said to Manoah, \"If you prepare for me, I will not eat your food; and if you prepare a sacrifice for the Lord, make it for him.\"\n\nAnd Manoah said to the angel of the Lord, \"What is your name, so that when your word comes to pass, we may praise you?\"\n\nAnd the angel of the Lord said to him, \"Why do you ask this? My name is wonderful.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the dialogue between Manoah and the angel, following the angel's earlier instructions to Manoah's wife. The exchange moves from inquiry about the child to the angel's refusal of hospitality and his mysterious name.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"መልአከ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'angel of the Lord' (Geʿez: malʾaka ʾəgziʾabəḥer) is a standard designation for a divine messenger, here identified with the figure who appears to Manoah and his wife in the Samson narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይን ወሜሰ","severity":"info","text":"The prohibitions against wine, mead, and unclean things echo the Nazirite vows described in Numbers 6:1-21, linking the child's status to biblical Nazirite practice.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The offer of a kid goat (Geʿez: ጠሊ ṭali) as a meal reflects ancient Near Eastern hospitality customs, but the angel's refusal underscores his non-human nature and redirects sacrifice to God alone.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"In Ethiopic tradition, this passage is part of the broader Judges narrative, which is included in the Octateuch manuscripts. The angel's statement 'my name is wonderful' is often interpreted as a refusal to reveal a divine name, emphasizing mystery.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢይብላዕ","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez text uses the negative particle ኢይ (ʿuy) with the verb 'to eat' (በልዐ), which is a standard negation. However, the repetition of prohibitions may reflect scribal expansion or liturgical influence; the exact original form is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'angel of the Lord' is not explicitly named as such in the biblical source; the Geʿez text follows the Septuagint tradition. The phrase 'my name is wonderful' may be a translation of a Hebrew idiom meaning 'ineffable' or 'secret'."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":72,"ref":"p72","source":"ወነሥአ ፡ መኖሔ ፡ ማሕሥአ ፡ ጠሊ ፡ ወመሥዋዕተ ፡ ወአዕረገ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኰኵሕ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ ዘይገብር ፡ መድምመ ፡\nለእግዚእ ፡ ወርእይዎ ፡ መኖሔ ፡ ወብእሲቱ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ዐርገ ፡ ነድ ፡ እመልዕልተ ፡ ምሥዋዕ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሰማይ ።\n\nወዐርገ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ በነደ ፡ ምሥዋዕ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሰማይ ፡ ወመኖሔሰ ፡ ወብእሲቱ ፡ ርእይዎ ፡ ወወድቁ ፡\nበገጾሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድር ።\n\nወኢደገመ ፡ እንከ ፡ መልአከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ አስተርእዮቶ ፡ ለመኖሔ ፡ ወለብእሲቱ ፡ ወይእተ ፡ ጊዜ ፡ አእመረ ፡ መኖሔ\n፡ ከመ ፡ መልአ[ከ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡] ውእቱ ።\n\nወይቤላ ፡ መኖሔ ፡ ለብእሲቱ ፡ ሞተ ፡ ንመውት ፡ እስመ ፡ ርኢናሁ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ።\n\nወትቤሎ ፡ ብእሲቱ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ፈቀደ ፡ ይቅትለነ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ እምኢተመጠወ ፡ እምነ ፡ እዴነ ፡ መሥዋዕተነ ፡\nወቍርባነነ ፡ ወእምኢያለበወነ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ዘንተ ፡ ወበከመሰ ፡ መዋዕሊሁ ፡ እምኢያስምዐነ ፡ ዘንተ ።","english":"And Manoah brought a sacrifice of flour and an offering, and he placed it upon the fire for the Lord, who makes the offering. And Manoah and his wife saw him when the flame of the offering ascended from the altar into the sky.\n\nAnd the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame of the offering into the sky, and Manoah and his wife saw him, and they fell upon their faces to the ground.\n\nAnd then the angel of the Lord revealed himself to Manoah and his wife, and at that time Manoah knew that he was the angel of the Lord.\n\nAnd Manoah said to his wife, \"We will die, for we have seen the Lord.\"\n\nAnd his wife said to him, \"If the Lord wished to kill us, would he have accepted our sacrifice and our offering from our hands, and would he have caused us to hear this?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"መሥዋዕተ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term መሥዋዕተ (maśwāʿta) can mean both 'sacrifice' and 'offering'; here it is paired with ቍርባነ (qurbāna), a loanword from Syriac meaning 'offering' or 'Eucharistic offering', reinforcing the sacrificial context.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወወድቁ በገጾሙ ውስተ ምድር","severity":"info","text":"The prostration of Manoah and his wife (falling on their faces) echoes the biblical motif of divine revelation (cf. Judges 13:20), where the angel ascends in the flame and the couple falls prostrate.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"መልአከ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The angel of the Lord (መልአከ እግዚአብሔር) in this passage is identified with the angel who appeared to Manoah's wife in Judges 13. The Geʿez text follows the biblical narrative closely, but the angel's ascent in the flame is an elaboration not found in the Masoretic Text.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage forms the climax of the angelic visitation: the sacrifice, the angel's ascent, the couple's prostration, and Manoah's realization. The wife's response (v. 5) provides a theological resolution, contrasting Manoah's fear with her reasoning about divine acceptance.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"In Ethiopic tradition, this episode is often read as a type of the Annunciation, with the angel's ascent prefiguring the ascension. The wife's speech (v. 5) is cited in homilies to illustrate theodicy and the acceptance of offerings.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"እምኢተመጠወ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase እምኢተመጠወ (ʾem-ʿatamaṭṭawe) is obscure; it may be a corruption or a rare form. The English draft renders it as 'would he have accepted', but the Geʿez could also mean 'would he have caused to be accepted'. The reading is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase እምኢተመጠወ is ambiguous: it may be a corrupt form of እምኢተመጠወ (ʾem-ʿatamaṭṭawe) meaning 'would he have accepted' or a variant of እምኢተመጠወ (ʾem-ʿatamaṭṭawe) with a different sense. The reading taken follows the English draft's interpretation of acceptance.","The identity of 'the Lord' in Manoah's exclamation (v. 4) is ambiguous: Manoah says 'we have seen the Lord', but the context suggests he refers to the angel, not God directly. The Geʿez uses እግዚአብሔር (ʾəgziʾabəḥer) for both God and the angel, leading to potential confusion."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":73,"ref":"p73","source":"ወወለደት ፡ ወልደ ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ብእሲት ፡ ወሰመየት ፡ ስሞ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ወባረኮ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወልህቀ ፡ ውእቱ ፡\nሕፃን ።\n\nወአሐዘ ፡ መንፈሰ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ይሑር ፡ ምስሌሁ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ትዕይንተ ፡ ዳን ፡ ማእከለ ፡ ሳራ ፡ ወማእከለ ፡\nእስታሔል ።\n\nJudices 14\n\n14\nወወረደ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ውስተ ፡ ተምናታ ፡ ወርእየ ፡ ብእሲተ ፡ በተምናታ ፡ እምነ ፡ አዋልደ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ወአደመቶ ፡\nቅድሜሁ ።\n\nወዐርገ ፡ ወነገሮሙ ፡ ለአቡሁ ፡ ወለእሙ ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ርኢኩ ፡ ብእሲተ ፡ በተምናታ ፡ እምነ ፡ አዋልደ ፡ አሎፍል ፡\nወይእዜኒ ፡ ንሥእዋ ፡ ሊተ ፡ ብእሲተ ።\n\nወይቤልዎ ፡ አቡሁ ፡ ወእሙ ፡ ቦኑ ፡ አልቦ ፡ እምነ ፡ አዋልደ ፡ አኀዊከ ፡ ወበውስተ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ሕዝብየ ፡ ብእሲተ ፡\nከመ ፡ ትሑር ፡ አንተ ፡ ወትንሣእ ፡ ብእሲተ ፡ እምነ ፡ አዋልደ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ቈላፍያን ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ለአቡሁ ፡\nኪያሃ ፡ ዳእሙ ፡ ንሥኡ ፡ ሊተ ፡ እስመ ፡ አደመተኒ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አዕይንትየ ።","english":"And she gave birth to a son, that woman, and she named him Samson, and the Lord blessed him, and the child grew.\n\nAnd the Spirit of the Lord took hold of him, and he went with it into the land of Dan, between Sarah and between Estael.\n\nJudges 14\n\n14\nAnd Samson went down to Timnah, and he saw a woman in Timnah from among the daughters of the Philistines, and she pleased him.\n\nAnd he returned and told his father and his mother, and he said to them, \"I have seen a woman in Timnah from among the daughters of the Philistines, and now let us take her for me as a wife.\"\n\nAnd his father and his mother said to him, \"Is there none from among the daughters of your brothers and from among all my people, a woman, that you should go and take a wife from among the daughters of the Philistines, the uncircumcised?\" And Samson said to his father, \"Take her for me, for she has pleased me in my eyes.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Judices 14","severity":"info","text":"The chapter heading 'Judices 14' marks a new narrative section, aligning with the biblical chapter division for Judges 14.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ተምናታ","severity":"info","text":"The toponym 'ተምናታ' (Timnah) is a place name in the territory of the Philistines, as in the biblical narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"እምነ ፡ አዋልደ ፡ አሎፍል","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'from among the daughters of the Philistines' echoes Judges 14:1-2, where Samson sees a Philistine woman in Timnah.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ቈላፍያን","severity":"info","text":"The term 'ቈላፍያን' (uncircumcised) reflects the Geʿez tradition's emphasis on the Philistines as non-Israelites, a common ethnic marker in Ethiopic biblical texts.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ሶምሶን","severity":"info","text":"The name 'ሶምሶን' (Samson) is rendered in Geʿez with a distinct orthography, reflecting the Ethiopic reception of the biblical figure.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT1700Judges","label":"source edition: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአሐዘ ፡ መንፈሰ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'the Spirit of the Lord took hold of him' is ambiguous: it may indicate divine inspiration or a literal possession, but the context suggests guidance.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ወአሐዘ ፡ መንፈሰ ፡ እግዚአብሔር' could be interpreted as either divine inspiration or possession; the reading taken is guidance.","The location 'ማእከለ ፡ ሳራ ፡ ወማእከለ ፡ እስታሔል' is unclear; it may refer to places between Sarah and Estael, but these are not identified in the source."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":74,"ref":"p74","source":"ወኢያእመሩ ፡ አቡሁ ፡ ወእሙ ፡ ከመ ፡ እምኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ውእቱ ፡ እስመ ፡ በቀለ ፡ ይፈቅድ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ እምነ ፡\nአሎፍል ፡ ወበእማንቱ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ይቀንይዎሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ።\n\nወወረደ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ወአቡሁ ፡ ወእሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ተምናታ ፡ ወተግሕሠ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ዐጸደ ፡ ወይን ፡ ዘተምናታ ፡ ወናሁ ፡\nአንበሳ ፡ ተቀበሎ ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይጥሕር ።\n\nወመጽአ ፡ ላዕሌሁ ፡ መንፈሰ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወነፅኆ ፡ ከመ ፡ ዘይነፅኅ ፡ ማሕሥአ ፡ ጠሊ ፡ ወከመ ፡ ወኢምንተ ፡ ኮነ\n፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴሁ ፡ ወኢያይድዐ ፡ ለአቡሁ ፡ ወለእሙ ፡ ዘገብረ ።\n\nወዐርጉ ፡ ወተናገሩ ፡ [በእንተ ፡ ብእሲት ፡] ወአደመቶ ፡ ቅድሜሁ ፡ ለሶምሶን ።\n\nወተመይጠ ፡ እምድኅረ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ ከመ ፡ ይንሥኣ ፡ ወተግሕሠ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይርአዮ ፡ ለዝክቱ ፡ በድነ ፡ አንበሳ ፡ ወናሁ\n፡ ንህብ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አፉሁ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ አንበሳ ፡ ኀደረ ፡ ወቦ ፡ መዓረ ።","english":"And his father and mother did not know that it was from the Lord, for he desired it from the Philistines, and in those days the Philistines oppressed Israel.\n\nAnd Samson went down with his father and mother into Timnah, and he entered a vineyard of Timnah, and behold, a lion met him while it was roaring.\n\nAnd the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and tore it apart as one tears a kid goat, and as if it were nothing, it was in his hand, and he did not tell his father and mother what he had done.\n\nAnd they went up and spoke [concerning the woman], and they betrothed her before Samson.\n\nAnd after some days, he went out and entered to see the carcass of that lion, and behold, a swarm of bees was in its mouth, and honey was in it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢያእመሩ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez opens with a negative verb indicating that Samson’s parents did not know the source of his desire; the English draft supplies the object clause.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"አሎፍል","severity":"info","text":"The term አሎፍል (allofal) is a Geʿez borrowing from Greek ἀλλόφυλοι, used in the Ethiopic tradition to refer to the Philistines.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወኢያእመሩ ፡ አቡሁ ፡ ወእሙ","severity":"info","text":"This passage corresponds to Judges 14:4–8, where Samson’s parents are unaware of the divine origin of his desire, and the lion episode occurs.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"መዓረ","severity":"info","text":"The detail of bees and honey in the lion’s carcass (መዓረ) is a folkloric motif found in later Samson traditions, not in the biblical text of Judges.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured as a narrative sequence: ignorance of parents, descent to Timnah, lion encounter, divine empowerment, betrothal, and discovery of honey.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic version expands the biblical account with the honey episode, reflecting a haggadic tradition also known from Pseudo-Philo and later Jewish lore.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez phrase በእንተ ፡ ብእሲት is bracketed in the edition, indicating a textual variant or uncertain insertion; the English draft includes it without comment."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":75,"ref":"p75","source":"ወነሥኦ ፡ ወበልዐ ፡ ወሖረ ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይበልዕ ፡ ወበጽሐ ፡ ኀበ ፡ አቡሁ ፡ ወእሙ ፡ ወወሀቦሙ ፡ ወበልዑ ፡ ወኢያይድዖሙ\n፡ ከመ ፡ እምነ ፡ አፈ ፡ አንበሳ ፡ አውፅኦ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ መዓር ።\n\nወወረደ ፡ አቡሁ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ብእሲት ፡ ወነበረ ፡ ህየ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ሰቡዐ ፡ መዋዕለ ፡ እስመ ፡ ከማሁ ፡ ይነብሩ\n፡ ወራዙት ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ፈርህዎ ፡ ሤሙ ፡ ላዕሌሁ ፡ ካልኣነ ፡ ሠላሳ ፡ ወነበሩ ፡ ምስሌሁ ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ እሜስል ፡ ለክሙ ፡ አምሳለ ፡ ወእመ ፡ አይዳዕክሙኒ ፡ አምሳልየ ፡ በእላንቱ ፡ ሰቡዕ ፡ መዋዕል ፡\nዘበዓል ፡ ወረከብክሙ ፡ እሁበክሙ ፡ ፴ሰንዱናተ ፡ ወ፴አልባሰ ።\n\nወእመሰ ፡ ስእንክሙ ፡ አይድዖትየ ፡ ትሁቡኒ ፡ አንትሙ ፡ ሊተ ፡ ፴ሰንዱናተ ፡ ወ፴አልባሰ ፡ ወይቤልዎ ፡ ምስል ፡\nአምሳሊከ ፡ ወንስማዕ ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ እምነ ፡ በላዒ ፡ ወፅአ ፡ መብልዕ ፡ ወእምነ ፡ ጽኑዕ ፡ ወጽአ ፡ ጥዑም ፡ ወስእኑ ፡ አይድዖቶ ፡ አምሳሊሁ\n፡ እስከ ፡ ሠሉስ ፡ መዋዕል ።","english":"And he took it and ate it, and he went while eating, and he arrived where his father and mother were, and he gave it to them, and they ate, and they did not know that he had brought out that honey from the mouth of a lion.\n\nAnd his father went down to that woman, and Samson stayed there for seven days, for they were accustomed to stay thus, and they were pleased.\n\nThen, when they feared him, they set over him another thirty men, and they stayed with him.\n\nAnd Samson said to them, \"I will tell you a riddle, and if you do not know my riddle within these seven days of the wedding feast, and you find it, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty garments.\n\nBut if you ask, and you do not know it, you will give me thirty linen garments and thirty garments.\" And they said to him, \"Tell your riddle, and we will hear.\"\n\nAnd he said to them, \"From the eater came forth food, and from the hard came forth sweet.\" And they asked, and they did not know his riddle until three days.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The riddle 'From the eater came forth food, and from the hard came forth sweet' refers to honey from a lion's carcass, continuing the narrative of Samson's strength and the divine spirit.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"መዓር","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term 'መዓር' (maʿār) means 'honey', a key element in the riddle, derived from the lion's mouth in the previous passage.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a narrative unit with a riddle contest, structured as a conditional wager (vv. 1–5) followed by the riddle's delivery and the Philistines' failure to solve it within three days.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The riddle echoes Judges 14 in the biblical tradition, where Samson's wedding feast and the honey from a lion are linked to his Nazirite vow and divine strength.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"In Ethiopic tradition, this passage is part of the Octateuch manuscript tradition, often copied with commentary emphasizing Samson as a type of Christ or a symbol of righteous strength.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990022646510203941","label":"The text of the Ethiopic version of the Octateuch, with special reference to the age and value of the Haverford manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022646510203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether the 'thirty men' are Philistine guards or wedding guests; the reading taken follows the English draft as guards set over Samson.","The riddle's solution is implied but not stated; the passage assumes the reader knows the honey from the lion's mouth."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":76,"ref":"p76","source":"ወእምዝ ፡ አመ ፡ ራብዕት ፡ ዕለት ፡ ይቤልዋ ፡ ለብእሲተ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ አስፍጥዮ ፡ ለምትኪ ፡ ወይንግርኪ ፡ አምሳሊሁ ፡\nከመ ፡ ኢናውዒክሙ ፡ በእሳት ፡ ለኪ ፡ ወለቤተ ፡ አቡኪ ፡ አው ፡ ከመ ፡ ታንድዩነኑ ፡ ጸዋዕክሙነ ።\n\nወበከየት ፡ ላዕሌሁ ፡ ብእሲቱ ፡ ለሶምሶን ፡ ወትቤሎ ፡ ጸላእከኒ ፡ ወአታፈቅረኒ ፡ እስመ ፡ አምሳሊከ ፡ ዘመሰልከ ፡\nለደቂቀ ፡ ሕዝብየ ፡ ኢነገርከኒ ፡ ሊተ ፡ ወይቤላ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ናሁ ፡ ለአቡየ ፡ ወለእምየ ፡ ኢነገርክዎሙ ፡ ለኪኑ ፡ እንከ\n፡ እንግርኪ ።\n\nወበከየት ፡ ላዕሌሁ ፡ ሰቡዐ ፡ መዋዕለ ፡ ዘበዓል ፡ ወእምዝ ፡ አመ ፡ ሳብዕት ፡ ዕለት ፡ ነገራ ፡ ሶበ ፡ አስርሐቶ ፡\nወአይድዐቶሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ ሕዝባ ።\n\nወይቤልዎ ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ ዕደው ፡ አመ ፡ ሳብዕት ፡ ዕለት ፡ እንበለ ፡ ትዕረብ ፡ ፀሐይ ፡ ምንት ፡ ይጥዕም ፡ እምነ ፡\nመዓር ፡ ወምንት ፡ ይጸንዕ ፡ እምነ ፡ አንበሳ ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ሶበ ፡ ኢያስራሕክምዋ ፡ ለእጐልትየ ፡ እምኢረከብክምዋ\n፡ ለአምሳልየ ።","english":"And after that, on the fourth day, they said to Samson's wife, \"Hasten, for the pot is ready, and tell us the riddle, as you have promised, lest I burn you and your father's house, or lest you deliver him up as you have sworn.\"\n\nAnd his wife wept over him and said to him, \"You have hated me, and you do not love me, for the riddle that you told to the children of my people you did not tell me.\" And Samson said to her, \"Behold, I have told it to my father and to my mother; now then, I will tell it to you.\"\n\nAnd she wept over him for seven days of the feast, and after that, on the seventh day, she told it when he had made her swear, and she revealed it to the children of her people.\n\nAnd they said to him, the enemies, on the seventh day, before sunset, \"What is sweeter than honey, and what is stronger than a lion?\" And Samson said to them, \"When I have yoked my heifers, you will find my riddle.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ራብዕት ዕለት","severity":"info","text":"The passage marks time with 'fourth day' and later 'seventh day', creating a symmetrical narrative frame that structures the riddle revelation.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ኢናውዒክሙ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez verb 'ኢናውዒክሙ' (from ኢናውዐ, 'to promise') carries the sense of a binding oath, consistent with the narrative's emphasis on sworn obligations.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ምንት ይጥዕም እምነ መዓር ወምንት ይጸንዕ እምነ አንበሳ","severity":"info","text":"The riddle 'What is sweeter than honey, and what is stronger than a lion?' echoes Judges 14:14, where Samson's riddle is posed to the Philistines.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ሶምሶን","severity":"info","text":"Samson's riddle tradition appears in later Ethiopic commentaries as a test of wisdom, reflecting the broader reception of Judges in Geʿez literature.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢያስራሕክምዋ ለእጐልትየ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'when I have yoked my heifers' parallels the agricultural imagery in Judges 14:18, where Samson's riddle is answered with 'a plow'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢነገርከኒ","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez text has 'ኢነገርከኒ' (you did not tell me), but the English draft reads 'you did not tell me' as a complaint; the Coptic Vorlage may have had a different nuance.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez 'ኢናውዒክሙ' could be read as either a promise or a threat; the English draft takes it as a threat ('lest I burn you').","The identity of 'the enemies' (እሙንቱ ዕደው) is ambiguous; they may be the Philistines or a generic group."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":77,"ref":"p77","source":"ወመጽአ ፡ መንፈሰ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ [ላዕሌሁ ፡] ወወረደ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኦስቀሎና ፡ ወቀተለ ፡ ፴ብእሴ ፡ ወሠለቦሙ ፡\nአልባሲሆሙ ፡ ወወሀቦሙ ፡ ለእለ ፡ አይድዕዎ ፡ አምሳሊሁ ፡ ወተምዕዐ ፡ መዐተ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ወአተወ ፡ ቤተ ፡ አቡሁ ።\n\nወነበረት ፡ ብእሲተ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ምስለ ፡ መጋቤ ፡ መርዓሁ ፡ ካልኡ ።\n\nJudices 15\n\n15\nወእምድኅረ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ አመ ፡ ማአረረ ፡ ስርናይ ፡ ኀወጻ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ለብእሲቱ ፡ ወአምጽኣ ፡ ላቲ ፡ ማሕሥአ ፡ ጠሊ\n፡ ወይቤ ፡ እባእ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ብእሲትየ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ጽርሕ ፡ ወከልኦ ፡ አቡሃ ፡ በዊአ ፡ ኀቤሃ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ አቡሃ ፡ እስመ ፡ ትቤ ፡ ጸላእክዋ ፡ ወሀብክዎ ፡ ለካልእከ ፡ ወባሕቱ ፡ [ነያ ፡] እኅታ ፡ እንተ ፡ ትንእሳ\n፡ ወትሤንያ ፡ ወትኩንከ ፡ ህየንቴሃ ።\n\nወይቤ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ንጹሕ ፡ አነ ፡ ምዕረ ፡ እምነ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ እስመ ፡ አነ ፡ እገብር ፡ እኪተ ፡ ምስሌክሙ ።","english":"And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he went down into Ashkelon and killed thirty men, and stripped them of their garments and gave them to those who knew his likeness. And Samson’s anger was kindled, and he returned to his father’s house.\n\nAnd Samson’s wife remained with her bridesmaids a second time.\n\nJudges 15\n\n15\n\nAnd after some days, at the time of the wheat harvest, Samson visited his wife and brought her a kid goat, and he said, “I will go to my wife in the chamber,” but her father prevented him, having entered to her.\n\nAnd her father said to him, “Because you have hated her and given her to another, and only her younger sister, who is small and weak, remains for you.”\n\nAnd Samson said, “I am pure from the fault of the calf, for I do evil with you.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"መንፈሰ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'Spirit of the Lord' here indicates divine empowerment for Samson's violent act, a motif common in biblical narratives of charismatic leadership.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ኦስቀሎና","severity":"info","text":"Ashkelon, a Philistine city, is the setting for Samson's attack; the Geʿez form reflects the Greek or Syriac intermediary.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Judices 15","severity":"info","text":"The chapter heading 'Judices 15' aligns with the biblical Book of Judges, chapter 15, which recounts Samson's exploits, though the Geʿez text expands the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ማሕሥአ ፡ ጠሊ","severity":"info","text":"The 'kid goat' (ማሕሥአ ፡ ጠሊ) as a gift reflects pastoral customs in the ancient Near East, symbolizing reconciliation or an attempt to regain favor.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወነበረት ፡ ብእሲተ ፡ ሶምሶን","severity":"info","text":"The repeated note that Samson's wife remains with her bridesmaids (መጋቤ ፡ መርዓሁ) frames the narrative as a cycle of separation and attempted reunion.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"አሎፍል","severity":"caution","text":"The term 'አሎፍል' (calf) in Samson's denial is obscure; it may refer to a specific fault or ritual impurity, but the exact meaning is uncertain in this context.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not clarify whether the 'Spirit of the Lord' is a permanent possession or a temporary inspiration; the reading taken is temporary empowerment.","The phrase 'አሎፍል' (calf) is ambiguous; it may be a corruption or a specific term for a fault, but the translation assumes a literal reading."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":78,"ref":"p78","source":"ወሖረ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ወአኀዘ ፡ ሠለስተ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ቈናጽለ ፡ ወነሥአ ፡ መኃትወ ፡ ወአሰረ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አዝናቢሆሙ ፡\nወወደየ ፡ አሐተ ፡ ማኅቶተ ፡ ማእከለ ፡ ክልኤቱ ፡ አዝናቢሆሙ ።\n\nወአኅተወ ፡ እሳተ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ መኃትው ፡ ወፈነዎሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ክልስስታት ፡ ዘአሎፍል ፡ ወአውዐዩ ፡ ሠዊተ ፡\nወክምረ ፡ ዘተዐፅደ ፡ ወዘይቀውም ፡ ወዘውጡሕ ፡ ወአዕጻዳተ ፡ ወይን ፡ ወዘዘይት ።\n\nወይቤሉ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ መኑ ፡ ገብረ ፡ ዘንተ ፡ ወይቤልዎሙ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ሐሙሁ ፡ ለተምናታዊ ፡ እስመ ፡ ሄድዎ ፡ ብእሲቶ\n፡ ወወሀብዋ ፡ ለካልኡ ፡ ወዐርጉ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ወአውዐዩ ፡ ቤተ ፡ አቡሃ ፡ ወኪያሃኒ ፡ ወአቡሃኒ ፡ በእሳት ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ እመሰ ፡ ገበርክሙ ፡ [ዘንተ ፡] ኢይፈቅድ ፤ በቀልየሰ ፡ እምነ ፡ አሐዱ ፡ ወለኵልክሙ ፡\nእምረሰይኩ ።\n\nወዘበጦሙ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ውስተ ፡ አቍያጸ ፡ እገሪሆሙ ፡ ወኮነ ፡ ዐቢይ ፡ ቀትል ፡ ወወረደ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ወነበረ ፡ ውስተ\n፡ ፈለግ ፡ ውስተ ፡ በአተ ፡ ኤጣም ።","english":"And Samson went and took three hundred foxes, and took torches and tied them to their tails. And he placed one torch between each pair of their tails.\n\nAnd he set fire to those torches and sent them into the fields of the Philistines, and they burned the harvest, the standing grain, the cut grain, the vineyards, the wine, and the oil.\n\nAnd the Philistines said, “Who has done this?” And Samson said to them, “I, the husband of the Timnite, because they took my wife and gave her to another.” And the Philistines went up and burned the house of her father and her and her father with fire.\n\nAnd Samson said to them, “If you have done this, I will not cease; I will take vengeance from each one of you, and I will destroy all of you.”\n\nAnd Samson attacked them at the joints of their legs, and there was a great slaughter. And Samson went down and dwelt in the river, in the cave of Etam.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ቈናጽለ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ቈናጽለ (qonāṣəle) is a plural form meaning 'foxes' or 'jackals'. The English draft renders it as 'foxes', which is consistent with the biblical narrative (Judges 15:4).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"መኃትወ","severity":"info","text":"መኃትወ (maʿātwe) means 'torches' or 'firebrands'. The passage describes Samson tying torches to the foxes' tails, a detail paralleling the biblical account of Samson's revenge.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ እመሰ ፡ ገበርክሙ ፡ [ዘንተ ፡] ኢይፈቅድ","severity":"info","text":"This passage echoes Judges 15:7, where Samson threatens the Philistines. The Geʿez text includes a conditional statement ('If you have done this, I will not cease'), closely following the biblical source.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ኤጣም","severity":"info","text":"The toponym ኤጣም (ʾEtam) refers to the cave of Etam, a location mentioned in Judges 15:8. In the biblical narrative, Samson retreats there after his attack on the Philistines.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is part of the Samson cycle (Judges 13–16). The narrative structure moves from Samson's destructive act (burning fields) to his confrontation with the Philistines and his subsequent retreat to Etam.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez version of Judges, as preserved in the Ethiopic Octateuch, reflects a translation tradition that closely follows the Septuagint. This passage shows the adaptation of the Samson story within Ethiopian Christian literature.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text includes a lacuna marked by brackets [ዘንተ ፡], indicating a possible missing word or phrase. The reading adopted follows the English draft, which supplies 'this'.","The phrase 'ውስተ ፡ አቍያጸ ፡ እገሪሆሙ' (at the joints of their legs) is ambiguous; it may refer to a specific anatomical target or be a metaphorical expression for a vulnerable point."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":79,"ref":"p79","source":"ወዐርጉ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ወኀደሩ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ወተዐዝሩ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ሌ[ሒ] ።\n\nወይቤልዎሙ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ለምንት ፡ ዐረግሙ ፡ ላዕሌነ ፡ ወይቤሉ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ከመ ፡ ንእስሮ ፡ ለሶምሶን\n፡ ዐረግነ ፡ ወንግበሮ ፡ በከመ ፡ ገብረነ ።\n\nወወረዱ ፡ ሠላሳ ፡ ምእት ፡ ብእሲ ፡ እምነ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ኀበ ፡ በአተ ፡ ኰኵሕ ፡ ዘኤጣም ፡ ወይቤልዎ ፡ ለሶምሶን ፡\nኢታአምርኑ ፡ ከመ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ይኴንኑነ ፡ ለምንት ፡ ከመዝ ፡ ገበርከ ፡ ላዕሌነ ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ በከመ ፡ ገብሩ ፡\nላዕሌክሙ ፡ ከማሁ ፡ ገበርኩ ፡ ላዕሌሆሙ ።\n\nወይቤልዎ ፡ ከመ ፡ ንእስርከ ፡ ወረድነ ፡ ወናግብእከ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴሆሙ ፡ ለአሎፍል ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ መሐሉ ፡\nሊተ ፡ አንትሙ ፡ ከመ ፡ ኢትቅትሉኒ ፡ አንትሙ ፡ ወአግብኡኒ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ ወአንትሙሰ ፡ ኢትትራከቡ ፡ ምስሌየ ።\n\nወመሐሉ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ወይቤልዎ ፡ አልቦ ፡ ዳእሙ ፡ ነአስረከ ፡ በማእስር ፡ ወናገብአከ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴሆሙ ፡ ወቀቲለሰ ፡\nኢንቀትለከ ፡ ወአሰርዎ ፡ በክልኤቱ ፡ መፃምድ ፡ ሐደስት ፡ ወአውፅአዎ ፡ እምነ ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ኰኵሕ ።","english":"And the Philistines went up and encamped over Judah, and they were troubled over Lehi.\n\nAnd all the people of Judah said to them, \"Why have you come up against us?\" And the Philistines said, \"In order that we may bind Samson, we have come up, and we will do to him as he did to us.\"\n\nAnd three thousand men from Judah went down to where the cave of Etam was, and they said to Samson, \"Do you not know that the Philistines are oppressing us? Why have you done thus against us?\" And Samson said to them, \"As they did to you, so I have done to them.\"\n\nAnd they said to him, \"We have come to bind you and to hand you over into the hands of the Philistines.\" And Samson said to them, \"Swear to me that you yourselves will not kill me, but will hand me over to them, and that you yourselves will not be gathered together with me.\"\n\nAnd they swore to him, and they said to him, \"There is no deceit; we will bind you in fetters and hand you over into their hands, but we will not kill you.\" And they bound him with two new ropes and brought him out from that cave.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"አሎፍል","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term አሎፍል (ʾalofəl) is a loanword from Hebrew פְּלִשְׁתִּים (Pəlištīm), referring to the Philistines. It appears consistently in Ethiopic biblical texts for this people group.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ኰኵሕ ዘኤጣም","severity":"info","text":"The cave of Etam (ኰኵሕ ዘኤጣም) is a location associated with Samson in the biblical tradition, mentioned in Judges 15:8. Its precise identification is uncertain, but it is traditionally placed in the territory of Judah.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT1700Judges","label":"source edition: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage follows a narrative pattern of confrontation and negotiation: the Philistines encamp, the men of Judah question Samson, and Samson secures a sworn agreement before surrendering. The dialogue structure is typical of Ethiopic Judges.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወዐርጉ ፡ አሎፍል","severity":"info","text":"The opening phrase echoes Judges 15:9, where the Philistines go up against Judah. The Geʿez version closely follows the Septuagintal tradition in wording and sequence.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ሌ[ሒ]","severity":"caution","text":"The toponym ሌ[ሒ] (Lehi) is partially reconstructed in the manuscript; the bracketed ሒ indicates a lacuna or uncertain reading. The name is known from Judges 15:9 as a location in Philistine territory.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact location of Lehi (ሌ[ሒ]) is uncertain due to manuscript damage; the reading follows the biblical tradition.","The number 'three thousand men' (ሠላሳ ምእት ብእሲ) may be a textual variant; the Masoretic text of Judges 15:11 has 'a thousand' (אֶלֶף אִישׁ)."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":80,"ref":"p80","source":"ወበጽሐ ፡ እስከነ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ዐጽመ ፡ መንከስ ፡ ወወውዑ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ወተቀበልዎ ፡ ወሮጹ ፡ ላዕሌሁ ፡ ወመጽአ ፡ ላዕሌሁ\n፡ መንፈሰ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወኮኑ ፡ እልክቱ ፡ መፃምድ ፡ እለ ፡ ውስተ ፡ መዝራእቱ ፡ ከመ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ያጼኑ ፡ እሳተ ፡\nኀሠር ፡ ወተፈትሐ ፡ ማኅሜሁ ፡ እምነ ፡ መዝራእቱ ።\n\nወረከበ ፡ ዐጽመ ፡ መንከስ ፡ ዘአድግ ፡ ግዱፈ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ፍኖት ፡ ወአትሐተ ፡ እዴሁ ፡ ወተመጠዋ ፡ ወቀተለ ፡ ባቲ ፡\nዐሠርተ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ብእሴ ።\n\nወይቤ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ በዐጽመ ፡ መንከሰ ፡ አድግ ፡ ደምስሶ ፡ ደምሰስክዎሙ ፡ እስመ ፡ በዐጽመ ፡ መንከሰ ፡ አድግ ፡\nቀተልኩ ፡ ዐሠርተ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ብእሴ ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡ አኅለቀ ፡ ነቢበ ፡ ገደፋ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡ ዐጽመ ፡ መንከስ ፡ እምነ ፡ እዴሁ ፡ ወሰመዮ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡\nመካን ፡ ቀትለ ፡ ዐጽመ ፡ መንከስ ።\n\nወጸምአ ፡ ጥቀ ፡ ወጸርኀ ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወይቤ ፡ አንተ ፡ አግባእከ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እደ ፡ ገብርከ ፡ ዛተ ፡\nሕይወተ ፡ ዐባየ ፡ ወይእዜሰ ፡ እመውት ፡ በጽምእ ፡ ወእወድቅ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴሆሙ ፡ ለቈላፍያን ።","english":"And he came as far as the jawbone of an ass, and they smote the Philistines and received him, and they ran against him, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and those stalks that were in his harvest became as when they burn fire of grass, and his threshing-floor was opened from his harvest.\n\nAnd he found the jawbone of an ass that a donkey had cast away on the road, and he stretched out his hand and took it, and he killed with it a thousand men.\n\nAnd Samson said, \"With the jawbone of an ass I have destroyed them, for with the jawbone of an ass I killed a thousand men.\"\n\nAnd then, when he had finished speaking, he cast that jawbone from his hand, and he named that place \"Killing of the Jawbone.\"\n\nAnd he thirsted greatly, and he cried out to the Lord, and he said, \"You have brought into the hand of your servant this great life, and now I die of thirst, and I fall into the hands of the Philistines.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ዐጽመ ፡ መንከስ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'jawbone of an ass' (ዐጽመ ፡ መንከስ) is a distinctive motif in the Samson cycle, appearing here as the weapon used to kill a thousand men. The Geʿez term መንከስ specifically denotes a donkey or ass.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"መንፈሰ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The 'Spirit of the Lord' (መንፈሰ ፡ እግዚአብሔር) coming upon Samson echoes Judges 14:6, 19, and 15:14, where divine empowerment precedes feats of strength. This phrase is a standard Geʿez rendering of the Hebrew rûaḥ YHWH.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ቀትለ ፡ ዐጽመ ፡ መንከስ","severity":"info","text":"The naming of the place 'Killing of the Jawbone' (ቀትለ ፡ ዐጽመ ፡ መንከስ) is an aetiological note, explaining the toponym Ramath-lehi (Judges 15:17). The Geʿez version preserves this naming tradition, though the Hebrew original refers to 'Jawbone Hill'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage follows a narrative pattern: Samson's victory, a naming act, and a prayer of distress. The sequence mirrors Judges 15:14-18, but the Geʿez text compresses the dialogue and emphasizes the divine intervention and the naming.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"In Ethiopic tradition, Samson's prayer and thirst are often read as a typological prefiguration of Christ's passion, with the jawbone symbolizing the defeat of enemies through divine strength. This passage is cited in homilies on the power of God's spirit.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወተፈትሐ ፡ ማኅሜሁ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'his threshing-floor was opened' (ወተፈትሐ ፡ ማኅሜሁ) is ambiguous: it may mean the harvest was released for threshing, or metaphorically that his strength was unleashed. The English draft interprets it as a literal agricultural image, but the Geʿez could also imply a military breakthrough.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ወተፈትሐ ፡ ማኅሜሁ' (his threshing-floor was opened) is ambiguous: it may refer to the literal opening of a threshing floor after harvest, or metaphorically to Samson's release of power. The reading taken follows the agricultural sense, but a military interpretation is possible.","The number 'a thousand men' (ዐሠርተ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ብእሴ) is likely hyperbolic, as in the biblical source (Judges 15:15)."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":81,"ref":"p81","source":"ወአርኀወ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ንቅዐታ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡ ዐጽመ ፡ መንከስ ፡ ወወፅአ ፡ እምኔሃ ፡ ማይ ፡ ወሰትየ ፡ ወገብአት ፡\nነፍሱ ፡ ወአዕረፈ ፡ በበይነ ፡ ዝንቱ ፡ ተሰምየ ፡ ስሙ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ መካን ፡ ነቅዐ ፡ ዐጽመ ፡ መንከስ ፡ እስከ ፡ ዮም ።\n\nወኰነኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ በመዋዕለ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ፳ዓመተ ።\n\nJudices 16\n\n16\nወሖረ ፡ ሶምሰን ፡ ውስተ ፡ ጋዛን ፡ ወርእየ ፡ በህየ ፡ ብእሲተ ፡ ዘማ ፡ ወቦአ ፡ ኀቤሃ ።\n\nወነገርዎሙ ፡ ለሰብአ ፡ ጋዛን ፡ ወይቤልዎሙ ፡ መጽአ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ዝየ ፡ ወዖድዎ ፡ ወዐገትዎ ፡ ኵላ ፡ ሌሊተ ፡ ውስተ\n፡ አንቀጸ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ወፀንሑ ፡ ኵላ ፡ ሌሊተ ፡ ወይቤሉ ፡ ንፀንሖ ፡ እስከ ፡ ይጸብሕ ፡ ወንቀትሎ ።\n\nወኖመ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ እስከ ፡ መንፈቀ ፡ ሌሊት ፡ ወተንሥአ ፡ መንፈቀ ፡ ሌሊት ፡ ወአኀዛ ፡ ለኆኅተ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ዘአንቀጽ\n፡ በክልኤሆን ፡ ራግዛቲሃ ፡ ወጾሮሙ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ሰብኡ ፡ ወተሰክመ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ መትካፍቱ ፡ ወአዕረጎሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡\nርእሰ ፡ ደብር ፡ ዘቅድመ ፡ ኬብሮን ፡ ወአንበሮሙ ፡ ህየ ።","english":"And the Lord caused water to flow from that jawbone of an ass, and water came out of it, and he drank, and his soul was refreshed, and he rested; and because of this, that place was called by the name \"Fountain of the Jawbone of an Ass\" until this day.\n\nAnd he judged Israel in the time of the Philistines for twenty years.\n\nJudges 16\n\n16\n\nAnd Samson went into Gaza, and he saw there a woman of the same, and he entered unto her.\n\nAnd they told the men of Gaza, and they said to them, \"Samson has come here,\" and they surrounded him and shut him in the whole night within the gate of the city, and they watched the whole night, and they said, \"Let us watch him until dawn, and we will kill him.\"\n\nAnd Samson slept until midnight, and he arose at midnight, and he took hold of the doors of the city, which were at the gate, by their two posts, and he pulled them out with all the men, and he placed them upon his shoulders, and he carried them up to the top of the mountain which is before Hebron, and he set them there.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ነቅዐ ዐጽመ መንከስ","severity":"info","text":"The toponym 'Fountain of the Jawbone of an Ass' (ነቅዐ ዐጽመ መንከስ) is a Geʿez calque of the Hebrew place-name Ramath Lehi, linking the narrative to a known site in the Samson cycle.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Judges 16","severity":"info","text":"The passage is explicitly labeled 'Judges 16' in the Geʿez text, but this chapter numbering does not correspond to the canonical Book of Judges; it reflects the Ethiopic division of the book, which often differs from the Masoretic or Septuagint chapter breaks.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ጋዛን","severity":"info","text":"Gaza (ጋዛን) is a Philistine city; the Geʿez text retains the biblical setting, but the narrative of Samson carrying the city gates to a mountain before Hebron is an expansion not found in the canonical Judges, reflecting a haggadic or apocryphal tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage combines two distinct episodes: the miraculous spring from the jawbone (aetiological) and the Gaza gate incident (heroic). The transition is abrupt, suggesting compilation from separate source materials.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic version of Samson's exploits, including the gate-carrying feat, is preserved in the broader Octateuch tradition and was used in liturgical readings, as attested by the manuscript witnesses in the dossier.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአርኀወ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ንቅዐታ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'the Lord caused water to flow' (ወአርኀወ እግዚአብሔር ንቅዐታ) is ambiguous: it may mean God made water flow from the jawbone, or that the jawbone itself was the source; the Geʿez syntax allows both readings.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not clarify whether the jawbone is from an ass or a donkey (both መንከስ can mean), and the phrase 'water came out of it' could refer to the jawbone or the ground.","The chronological note '20 years' for Samson's judgeship is not in the canonical Judges and may be a scribal addition or harmonization with other traditions."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":82,"ref":"p82","source":"ወእምድኅረ ፡ ዝንቱ ፡ አፍቀረ ፡ ብእሲተ ፡ በኀበ ፡ ፈለገ ፡ ሶሬኅ ፡ ወስማ ፡ ደሊላ ።\n\nወዐርጉ ፡ ኀቤሃ ፡ መሳፍንተ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ወይቤልዋ ፡ አስፍጥዮ ፡ ወአእምሪ ፡ በምንት ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ኀይሉ ፡ ዐቢይ ፡\nወበምንት ፡ ንክሎ ፡ ወንእስሮ ፡ ከመ ፡ ናድክሞ ፡ ወንሁበኪ ፡ ንሕነ ፡ ዐሠርተ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ወምእተ ፡ ብሩረ ።\n\nወትቤሎ ፡ ደሊላ ፡ ለሶምሶን ፡ አይድዐኒ ፡ ምንት ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ኀይልከ ፡ ዐቢይ ፡ ወበምንት ፡ እመ ፡ አሰሩከ ፡ ትደክም\n።\n\nወይቤላ ፡ ሶምሰን ፡ እመ ፡ አሰሩኒ ፡ በሰብዐቱ ፡ አውታር ፡ ሐደስት ፡ እለ ፡ አልቦሙ ፡ ብትከተ ፡ ወእደክም ፡ እንከ\n፡ ወእከውን ፡ ከመ ፡ አሐዱ ፡ እምነ ፡ እጓለ ፡ እመሕያው ።\n\nወአምጽኡ ፡ ላቲ ፡ መሳፍንተ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ሰብዐተ ፡ አውታረ ፡ ሐደስተ ፡ እለ ፡ አልቦሙ ፡ ብትከተ ፡ ወአሰረቶ ፡ ቦሙ\n።\n\nወእለሰ ፡ ይፀንሕዎ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ውሳጢት ፡ ወትቤሎ ፡ መጽኡከ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ወበተኮሙ ፡ ለእልክቱ ፡\nአውታር ፡ ከመ ፡ ይትበተክ ፡ ፈትል ፡ ሶበ ፡ ያጼኑ ፡ እሳተ ፡ ወኢተዐውቀ ፡ ኀይሉ ።","english":"And after this, he loved a woman by the river Sorek, and her name was Delilah.\n\nAnd the princes of the Philistines went up to her and said to her, \"Find out and know by what his great strength is, and by what trick we may bind him and capture him, and we will give you, we, eleven hundred men and one hundred pieces of silver.\"\n\nAnd Delilah said to Samson, \"Tell me what your great strength is, and if they bind you, how you prevail.\"\n\nAnd Samson said to her, \"If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings that have no knots, then I will prevail and become like one of the sons of men.\"\n\nAnd the princes of the Philistines brought to her seven fresh bowstrings that had no knots, and she bound him with them.\n\nAnd those who were watching him were dwelling in the chamber, and she said to him, \"The Philistines have come to you, Samson,\" and he broke his bowstrings like a thread is broken when fire touches it, and his strength was not known.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ደሊላ","severity":"info","text":"Delilah is a figure from the biblical Samson cycle (Judges 16). The Geʿez account follows the biblical narrative closely, though the Philistine princes' offer of eleven hundred men and one hundred pieces of silver is an expansion not found in the Masoretic Text.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሶምሶን","severity":"info","text":"The name Samson is consistently rendered as ሶምሶን in Geʿez, reflecting the Greek form Σαμψών. The spelling is stable across Ethiopic manuscripts of Judges.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a narrative unit that transitions from Samson's earlier exploits to his betrayal by Delilah. The dialogue between Delilah and the Philistine princes, and then between Delilah and Samson, is a distinctive expansion of the biblical account.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The motif of seven fresh bowstrings without knots as a binding that Samson can break is unique to this Ethiopic version. In the biblical text (Judges 16:6-9), Delilah uses a new rope, not bowstrings.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This expanded narrative of Samson and Delilah, with the Philistine princes' bribery and the specific binding method, reflects a haggadic or folkloric elaboration common in Ethiopic biblical retellings. It may derive from a lost Jewish or Christian source.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢተዐውቀ","severity":"caution","text":"The final phrase ኢተዐውቀ ኀይሉ (his strength was not known) is ambiguous: it may mean his strength was not revealed to the Philistines, or that it was not diminished. The context favors the former, as the Philistines fail to learn his secret.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ኢተዐውቀ ኀይሉ' could be read as 'his strength was not known' (i.e., remained secret) or 'his strength was not recognized' (i.e., was not diminished). The narrative context supports the former, as the Philistines sought to discover the source of his strength.","The number 'eleven hundred men' (ዐሠርተ ምእተ ብእሲ) is a textual variant; the biblical text (Judges 16:5) mentions only silver, not men. This may be a scribal expansion or a conflation with another passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":83,"ref":"p83","source":"ወትቤሎ ፡ ደሊላ ፡ ለሶምሶን ፡ ናሁ ፡ አስታሕቀርከኒ ፡ ወሐሰተ ፡ ተናገርከኒ ፡ ወይእዜኒ ፡ አይድዐኒ ፡ በምንት ፡\nየአስሩከ ።\n\nወይቤላ ፡ እመ ፡ አሰሩኒ ፡ በሰብዐቱ ፡ መፃምድ ፡ እለ ፡ ኢገብሩ ፡ ቦሙ ፡ ግብረ ፡ እደክም ፡ እንከ ፡ ወእከውን ፡\nከመ ፡ አሐዱ ፡ እምነ ፡ እጓለ ፡ እመሕያው ።\n\nወነሥአት ፡ ደሊላ ፡ መፃምደ ፡ ሐደስተ ፡ ወአሰረቶ ፡ ቦቱ ፡ ወትቤሎ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ መጽኡከ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ወእለሰ ፡\nይፀንሕዎ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ውሳጢት ፡ ወበተኮሙ ፡ እምነ ፡ መዝራዕቱ ፡ ከመ ፡ ፈትል ።\n\nወትቤሎ ፡ ደሊላ ፡ ለሶምሶን ፡ ወይእዜኒ ፡ አስታሕቀርከኒ ፡ ወሐሰተ ፡ ተናገርከኒ ፡ ወአይድዐኒ ፡ በምንት ፡ የአስሩከ ፡\nወይቤላ ፡ እመ ፡ ፀፈርክዮን ፡ ለሰብዑ ፡ ቈናዝዕየ ፡ ዘርእስየ ፡ ወተከልክዮን ፡ በመትከል ፡ ውስተ ፡ አረፍት ፡ ወእደክም ፡\nእንከ ፡ ከመ ፡ አሐዱ ፡ እምነ ፡ እጓለ ፡ እመሕያው ።\n\nወአነመቶ ፡ ደሊላ ፡ ወፀፈረቶን ፡ ለሰብዑ ፡ ቈናዝዒሁ ፡ ዘርእሱ ፡ በኀይል ፡ ወተከለቶን ፡ በመታክል ፡ ውስተ ፡ አረፍት\n፡ ወትቤሎ ፡ መጽኡከ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ወነቅሀ ፡ እምንዋሙ ፡ ወነዝዐ ፡ ውእተ ፡ መታክለ ፡ እምነ ፡ ዐረፍት ፡ ምስለ\n፡ ቈናዝዒሁ ፡ ወኢተዐውቀ ፡ ኀይሉ ።","english":"And Delilah said to Samson, “Behold, you have deceived me and spoken falsely to me; and now, let me know by what you are bound.”\n\nAnd he said to her, “If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings, which have not been used for work, then I will be like one of the sons of men.”\n\nAnd Delilah took fresh bowstrings and bound him with them, and said to him, “The Philistines have come to you, Samson, and those who lie in wait for you are dwelling in the chamber; and by their cunning, from his hair, like a thread.”\n\nAnd Delilah said to Samson, “And now, you have deceived me and spoken falsely to me; and let me know by what you are bound.”\n\nAnd he said to her, “If you plait my seven locks of my head and weave them into the warp, then I will be like one of the sons of men.”\n\nAnd Delilah made him sleep, and she plaited his seven locks of his head with force, and wove them into the warp, and said to him, “The Philistines have come to you, Samson.” And he awoke from his sleep and pulled that weaving from the warp together with his locks, and his strength was not known.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢገብሩ ፡ ቦሙ ፡ ግብረ ፡ እደክም","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'which have not been used for work' specifies that the bowstrings must be unused, a condition for Samson's weakness.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"መፃምድ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term 'mäṣaməd' (bowstrings) is used here in the plural, referring to the seven fresh bowstrings that Delilah uses to bind Samson.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage repeats the motif of Delilah demanding to know Samson's secret, with Samson giving two different conditions (bowstrings and hair), creating a parallel structure.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወኢተዐውቀ ፡ ኀይሉ","severity":"caution","text":"The final clause 'and his strength was not known' is ambiguous: it may mean his strength was lost or that it was not recognized by others; the Geʿez allows both readings.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The motif of hair as a source of strength (Samson's seven locks) echoes the biblical account (Judges 16) but with added detail of weaving into a warp, unique to this Ethiopic version.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ኢተዐውቀ ፡ ኀይሉ' could mean either 'his strength was not known' (i.e., lost) or 'his strength was not recognized' (i.e., hidden). The text does not clarify whether Samson's strength is permanently gone or merely concealed."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":84,"ref":"p84","source":"ወትቤሎ ፡ ደሊላ ፡ እፎ ፡ ትብል ፡ አፍቀርኩኪ ፡ ወልብየ ፡ ምስሌኪ ፡ ናሁ ፡ ሣልስ ፡ ዝንቱ ፡ እንዘ ፡ ታስተሐቅረኒ ፡\nወኢታየድዐኒ ፡ በምንት ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ኀይልከ ፡ ዐቢይ ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡ አስርሐቶ ፡ በነቢብ ፡ ኵላ ፡ ሌሊተ ፡ ወአጽሐበቶ ፡ እስከ ፡ ተቈጥዐ ፡ ለሞት ፤\n\nአይድዓ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ዘውስተ ፡ ልቡ ፡ ወይቤላ ፡ መላፄ ፡ ኢይለክፈኒ ፡ ርእስየ ፡ እስመ ፡ ናዝራዊ ፡ አነ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር\n፡ እምነ ፡ ከርሠ ፡ እምየ ፡ ወእምከመ ፡ ተላጼኩ ፡ የኀድገኒ ፡ ኀይልየ ፡ ወእደክም ፡ ወእከውን ፡ ከመ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ እጓለ ፡\nእመሕያው ።\n\nወአእመረት ፡ ደሊላ ፡ ከመ ፡ አይድዓ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ዘውስተ ፡ ልቡ ፡ ወለአከት ፡ ወጸውዐቶሙ ፡ ለመላእክተ ፡ አሎፍል ፡\nእንዘ ፡ ትብል ፡ ንዑአ ፡ አሐተአ ፡ ዕረጉአ ፡ እስመአ ፡ አይድዐኒአ ፡ ኵሎአ ፡ ዘውስተአ ፡ ልቡአ ፡ ወዐርጉ ፡ ኀቤሃ ፡\nኵሎሙ ፡ መሳፍንተ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ወአምጽኡ ፡ ወርቀ ፡ ምስሌሆሙ ።","english":"And Delilah said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ and your heart is with me? Now this is the third time you have deceived me, and you have not let me know by what your great strength is.”\n\nAnd then, when she had bound him with a rope all night and had shaved him until he was cut to death,\n\nHe revealed everything that was in his heart and said to her, “The razor has shaved my head, for I am a Nazirite of the Lord from my mother’s womb; and when I am shaved, my strength will leave me, and I will become weak and be like every son of man.”\n\nAnd Delilah knew that he had revealed everything that was in his heart, and she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come, one of you, go up to her, for she has revealed to her everything that was in her heart.” And all the lords of the Philistines went up to her, and they brought silver with them.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ናዝራዊ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ናዝራዊ (nāzrāwi) renders Hebrew 'nazir' (Nazirite), a person consecrated to God by a vow involving abstinence from wine and uncut hair. This is the only explicit mention of Samson's Nazirite status in the Ethiopic Judges.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The motif of shaving as a means to neutralize a Nazirite's strength is not found in the biblical Book of Judges (ch. 16) but appears in later Jewish and Christian traditions, such as Pseudo-Philo's Biblical Antiquities. The Ethiopic version here expands the narrative with this detail.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage contains a narrative sequence of deception, binding, shaving, revelation, and summoning of the Philistine lords. The repetition of 'revealed everything in his heart' (አይድዓ ኵሎ ዘውስተ ልቡ) frames the disclosure as a pivotal plot point.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢይለክፈኒ","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez verb ኢይለክፈኒ (ʿuyyalakfanni) is obscure; it likely means 'has shaved me' (from አልከፈ, 'to shave'), but the form is irregular. The English draft reads 'the razor has shaved my head,' which interprets the subject as the razor (መላፄ).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic version of Judges, part of the broader Octateuch tradition, reflects a reworking of biblical material with haggadic expansions. This passage's emphasis on Delilah's deception and Samson's Nazirite vow aligns with Ethiopian monastic concerns about vow-keeping.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text has Delilah binding Samson 'with a rope all night' (በነቢብ ኵላ ሌሊተ), whereas the biblical account uses fresh bowstrings; the English draft follows the Geʿez. The phrase 'cut to death' (ተቈጥዐ ለሞት) may be hyperbolic or indicate a near-fatal shaving.","The pronoun shift in 'go up to her' (ዕረጉአ) and 'she has revealed to her' (አይድዐኒአ) is ambiguous: Delilah is speaking of herself in the third person, possibly a scribal or translation feature."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":85,"ref":"p85","source":"ወአነመቶ ፡ ማእከለ ፡ ብረኪሃ ፡ ወጸውዐት ፡ ቀራጼ ፡ ወቀረጸቶ ፡ ፯ቈናዝዐ ፡ ርእሱ ፡ ወአኀዘ ፡ ይድከም ፡ ወኀደጎ ፡\nኀይሉ ።\n\nወትቤሎ ፡ ደሊላ ፡ መጽኡከ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ወነቅሀ ፡ እምነ ፡ ንዋሙ ፡ ወይቤ ፡ እወፅእ ፡ ወእገብር ፡ ከመ ፡\nዘልፍ ፡ ወእነፅኆሙ ፡ ወውእቱሰ ፡ ኢያእመረ ፡ ከመ ፡ ኀደጎ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ።\n\nወአኀዝዎ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ወአውፅእዎ ፡ አዕይንቲሁ ፡ ወአውረድዎ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ጋዛን ፡ ወሞቅሕዎ ፡ በመዋቅሕተ ፡ ኀፂን ፡\nወአንበርዎ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ሞቅሕ ፡ የሐርጽ ።\n\nወአኀዘ ፡ ሥዕርቱ ፡ ይብቈል ፡ እምዘ ፡ ቀርፅዎ ።\n\nወተጋብኡ ፡ መላእክተ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ከመ ፡ ይሡዑ ፡ መሥዋዕተ ፡ ለአምላኮሙ ፡ ወከመ ፡ ይትፈሥሑ ፡ ወይቤሉ ፡ አግብኦ ፡\nአምላክነ ፡ ለሶምሶን ፡ ፀርነ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴነ ።\n\nወሶበ ፡ ርእይዎ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ወአእኰትዎ ፡ ለአምላኮሙ ፡ ወይቤሉ ፡ አግብኦ ፡ አምላክነ ፡ ለፀርነ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴነ ፡\nዘአማሰና ፡ ለምድርነ ፡ ዘአብዝኀ ፡ አብድንቲነ ።","english":"And she put him between her thighs, and she called a barber, and he shaved the seven locks of his head, and he began to grow weak, and his strength left him.\n\nAnd Delilah said to him, “Come, O Philistine, Samson, and let us sleep from our sleep.” And he said, “I will go out and I will do as before, and I will destroy them.” But he did not know that his strength had left him, the Lord having abandoned him.\n\nAnd the Philistines seized him and put out his eyes, and they brought him down into Gaza, and they bound him with bronze fetters, and they placed him in the prison house to grind.\n\nAnd his hair began to grow from when they had shaved him.\n\nAnd the lords of the Philistines assembled to sacrifice to their god and to rejoice, and they said, “Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands.”\n\nAnd when the people saw him, they praised their god and said, “Our god has delivered our enemy into our hands, who had oppressed our land, who had multiplied our destructions.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"፯ቈናዝዐ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez phrase '፯ቈናዝዐ ርእሱ' (seven locks of his head) reflects a traditional motif of Samson's seven locks, which is not present in the biblical account (Judges 16) but appears in later Jewish and Christian legend.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአኀዝዎ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ወአውፅእዎ ፡ አዕይንቲሁ","severity":"info","text":"The blinding of Samson by the Philistines (putting out his eyes) is a direct parallel to Judges 16:21, though the Geʿez text adds details such as bronze fetters and imprisonment in a mill house.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአንበርዎ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ሞቅሕ ፡ የሐርጽ","severity":"info","text":"The detail of Samson being placed in a 'prison house to grind' (ቤተ ሞቅሕ የሐርጽ) reflects a tradition of Samson as a mill slave, found in later Jewish midrashim and Christian hagiography, not in the biblical text.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage (p85) is part of a narrative sequence in the Ethiopic Judges that expands the biblical account with legendary elements, such as the shaving of seven locks and the assembly of Philistine lords for sacrifice.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic version of Judges, as preserved in this manuscript, incorporates haggadic expansions that align with the broader Christian Oriental tradition, emphasizing divine abandonment and the Philistines' pagan worship.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether the 'seven locks' (፯ቈናዝዐ) are a literal number or a symbolic motif; the reading taken is that it is a legendary addition.","The phrase 'ወአኀዘ ፡ ይድከም' (he began to grow weak) is ambiguous as to whether it refers to physical or spiritual weakness; the context suggests both."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":86,"ref":"p86","source":"ወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ተፈሥሑ ፡ ይቤሉ ፡ ጸውዕዎ ፡ ለሶምሶን ፡ እምነ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ሞቅሕ ፡ ወይትወነይ ፡ በቅድሜነ ፡ ወጸውዕዎ\n፡ ለሶምሶን ፡ እምነ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ሞቅሕ ፡ ወተሳለቁ ፡ ላዕሌሁ ፡ ወአቀምዎ ፡ ማእከለ ፡ ፪አዕማድ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ለወልድ ፡ ዘይመርሖ ፡ አዕርፈኒ ፡ ወአግስሰኒ ፡ አዕማደ ፡ እለ ፡ ዲቤሆን ፡ ይቀውም ፡ ዝንቱ ፡\nቤት ፡ ወአስምከኒ ፡ ላዕሌሆን ፡ ወገብረ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ከማሁ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ወልድ ።\n\nወምሉእ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ቤት ፡ ዕደወ ፡ ወአንስተ ፡ ወሀለዉ ፡ ህየ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ መሳፍንተ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ውስተ ፡ ናሕስኒ ፡\nየአክሉ ፡ ሠላሳ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ዕደው ፡ ወአንስት ፡ ይኔጽርዎ ፡ ለሶምሶን ፡ ከመ ፡ ይትዌነይ ።\n\nወጸርኀ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወይቤ ፡ እግዚኦ ፡ እግዚኦ ፡ ተዘከረኒ ፡ ወአጽንዐኒ ፡ አሐተ ፡ እንከ ፡\nወእትበቀል ፡ በቀለ ፡ አሐተ ፡ ህየንተ ፡ ክልኤሆን ፡ አዕይንትየ ፡ እምነ ፡ አሎፍል ።","english":"And then, when they were rejoicing, they said, \"Summon Samson from the house of the mill, and let him play before us, and summon Samson from the house of the mill.\" And they mocked him and placed him between two pillars.\n\nAnd Samson said to the boy who was leading him, \"Let me rest and let me touch the pillars upon which this house stands, and set me upon them.\" And the boy did for him accordingly.\n\nAnd the house was full of men and women, and all the princes of the Philistines were there, within the temple, eating. Thirty thousand men and women were watching Samson as he played.\n\nAnd Samson cried out to the Lord and said, \"O Lord, O Lord, remember me and strengthen me just once, and I will take vengeance just once in place of my two eyes from the Philistines.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ቤተ ፡ ሞቅሕ","severity":"info","text":"The 'house of the mill' (betä moqəḥ) is a detail not in the biblical account (Judg 16:21–30), where Samson is merely in prison. This reflects an Ethiopic expansion, possibly from a homiletic or hagiographic tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ተፈሥሑ","severity":"info","text":"The passage begins with a temporal clause ('And then, when they were rejoicing'), marking a narrative transition from the previous episode of Delilah and Samson's haircut to the Philistine feast.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"እግዚኦ ፡ እግዚኦ ፡ ተዘከረኒ ፡ ወአጽንዐኒ","severity":"info","text":"Samson's prayer 'O Lord, O Lord, remember me and strengthen me' echoes the biblical plea for one final act of strength (cf. Judg 16:28), but the Geʿez adds the request for remembrance, absent in the Masoretic Text.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"አሎፍል","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Alofəl' (Philistines) is the standard Geʿez rendering, derived from Greek Φυλιστιείμ via Syriac. It appears consistently in Ethiopic biblical translations.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ሠላሳ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ዕደው ፡ ወአንስት","severity":"info","text":"The number 'thirty thousand men and women' watching Samson is a dramatic expansion; the Bible (Judg 16:27) mentions only 'about three thousand' people on the roof. This inflation is typical of Ethiopic legendary retellings.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአቀምዎ ፡ ማእከለ ፡ ፪አዕማድ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'placed him between two pillars' is ambiguous: it could mean the Philistines set Samson between pillars for mockery, or that he was positioned there to perform. The English draft takes the former, but the Geʿez allows either.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez does not specify whether Samson is placed between the pillars by the Philistines or by the boy at his own request; the narrative sequence suggests the former, but the boy's later action (setting him on the pillars) implies the latter.","The number 'thirty thousand' (ሠላሳ ፡ ምእተ) is a textual variant; some Ethiopic manuscripts read 'three thousand' (ሠላሳ ፡ ምእተ could be a scribal error for ሠላሳ ፡ ምእተ, but the intended meaning is unclear)."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":87,"ref":"p87","source":"ወአኀዞን ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ ለእልክቱ ፡ ክልኤሆን ፡ አዕማድ ፡ እለ ፡ ማእከል ፡ እለ ፡ ዲቤሆን ፡ ይቀውም ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ቤት ፡\nወገፍዖን ፡ አሐተ ፡ በየማኑ ፡ ወአሐተ ፡ በፀጋሙ ።\n\nወይቤ ፡ ሶምሰን ፡ ለትሙት ፡ ነፍስየ ፡ ምስለ ፡ አሎፍል ፡ ወአጠቆን ፡ በኀይሉ ፡ ወወድቀ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ቤት ፡ ላዕለ ፡\nመሳፍንት ፡ ወላዕለ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ዘውስቴቱ ፡ ወኮኑ ፡ እለ ፡ ሞቱ ፡ እለ ፡ ቀተለ ፡ ሶምሶን ፡ በሞቱ ፡ ፈድፋደ ፡\nእምእለ ፡ ቀተለ ፡ በሕይወቱ ።\n\nወወረዱ ፡ አኀዊሁ ፡ ወኵሉ ፡ ቤተ ፡ አቡሁ ፡ ወነሥእዎ ፡ ወዐርጉ ፡ ወቀበርዎ ፡ ማእከለ ፡ ሶራሕ ፡ ወማእከለ ፡\nኤስታዎ[ል] ፡ ውስተ ፡ መቃብረ ፡ መኖሔ ፡ አቡሁ ፡ ወኰነኖሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ፳ዓመተ ።\n\nJudices 17\n\n17\nወሀለወ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ዘእምነ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ወስሙ ፡ ሚካ ።\n\nወይቤላ ፡ ለእሙ ፡ ዝክተ ፡ ወርቀ ፡ ዘትቤልኒ ፡ ተሰርቀኒ ፡ ወአምሐልኪ ፡ ናሁ ፡ ወርቁ ፡ ኀቤየ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ አነ ፡\nነሣእክዎ ፡ ወትቤ ፡ እሙ ፡ ቡሩክ ፡ ወልድየ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ።","english":"And they seized Samson, and they placed him between the two pillars which were in the middle, upon which the house itself stood. And he grasped one with his right hand and one with his left.\n\nAnd Samson said, \"Let my soul die with the Philistines.\" And he strained with his strength, and the house fell upon the princes and upon all the people who were within it. And those whom Samson killed in his death were more numerous than those whom he killed in his life.\n\nAnd his brothers and all his father's household came down, and they took him, and they carried him up, and they buried him between Sorah and Estaol, in the tomb of his father Manoah. And he judged Israel for twenty years.\n\nJudges 17\n\n17\nAnd there was a man from Mount Ephraim, and his name was Micah.\n\nAnd he said to his mother, \"The silver which you said to me, 'It was stolen from me,' behold, the silver is with me, for I took it.\" And his mother said, \"Blessed is my son to the Lord.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Judices 17","severity":"info","text":"The passage ends with a chapter heading 'Judices 17' and the beginning of the Micah narrative, marking a clear structural break from the Samson cycle.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ሶራሕ ... ኤስታዎ[ል]","severity":"info","text":"The toponyms 'Sorah' and 'Estaol' (spelled ኤስታዎል) correspond to biblical Zorah and Eshtaol, traditional locations of Samson's burial in the Hebrew Bible (Judges 13:25, 16:31).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤላ ለእሙ ዝክተ ወርቀ","severity":"info","text":"The dialogue between Micah and his mother echoes Judges 17:1-2, where Micah returns stolen silver to his mother, who blesses him. The Geʿez text closely follows the biblical narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወኰነኖሙ ለእስራኤል ውእቱ ፳ዓመተ","severity":"info","text":"The note that Samson judged Israel for twenty years is a tradition not found in the Masoretic Text (which gives no duration) but appears in some Ethiopic and later Jewish sources, reflecting a harmonizing reception.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኤስታዎ[ል]","severity":"caution","text":"The spelling 'ኤስታዎል' includes a bracketed [ል] in the edition, indicating a textual uncertainty or emendation; the name may be corrupt or incomplete in the manuscript.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ኤስታዎ[ል]' is partially reconstructed; the original manuscript may have had a different spelling or lacuna.","The twenty-year judgeship of Samson is not in the Hebrew Bible and its source in the Ethiopic tradition is unclear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":88,"ref":"p88","source":"ወአግብአ ፡ ውእተ ፡ ወርቀ ፡ ዐሠርተ ፡ ወአሐደ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ለእሙ ፡ ወትቤ ፡ እሙ ፡ ቀድሶ ፡ ቀደስክዎ ፡ ለዝንቱ ፡\nወርቅ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ እምነ ፡ እዴየ ፡ ለባሕቲትየ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይትገበር ፡ ግልፎ ፡ ወስብኮ ።\n\nወይእዜኒ ፡ አ[ገ]ብኦ ፡ ለኪ ፡ ወእሁበኪዮ ፡ ወወሀበ ፡ ውእተ ፡ ወርቀ ፡ ለእሙ ፡ ወነሥአት ፡ እሙ ፡ ውእተ ፡ ወርቀ\n፡ ወወሀበት ፡ እምኔሁ ፡ ክልኤ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ብሩረ ፡ ለዘ ፡ ይሰብኮ ፡ ወይገብሮ ፡ ግልፎ ፡ ወሰበኮ ፡ ወአንበርዎ ፡ ውስተ ፡\nቤተ ፡ ሚካ ።\n\nወብእሲሁሰ ፡ ሚካ ፡ ረሰዮ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ቤተ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወገብረ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ወቴራጲን ፡ ወመልአ ፡ እዴሁ ፡ ለአሐዱ\n፡ እምነ ፡ ደቂቁ ፡ ወኮኖ ፡ ካህነ ።\n\nወበእማንቱ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ አልቦሙ ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ [ለደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡] ብእሲ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ዘአደሞ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ አዕይንቲሁ ፡\nይገብር ።\n\nወሀለወ ፡ ወልድ ፡ ዘእምነ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ልሔም ፡ ዘእምነ ፡ ሕዝበ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ወእምነ ፡ ዘመደ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ወሌዋዊ ፡ ውእቱ\n፡ ወይነብር ፡ ህየ ።","english":"And he gave that gold to his mother, one hundred and eleven [pieces]. And his mother said, \"I consecrated, I have consecrated this gold to the Lord from my own hand alone, that it might be made into an image and a covering.\"\n\nAnd now I have given it to you, and I give it to you. And he gave that gold to his mother, and his mother took that gold, and she gave from it two hundred pieces of silver to the one who would cover and make the image. And he covered and set it up in the house of Micah.\n\nAnd that man Micah prepared for himself a house of the Lord, and he made it with teraphim, and he filled the hand of one of his sons, and he became a priest.\n\nAnd in those days the children of Israel had no king; each man did what was right in his own eyes.\n\nAnd there was a youth from Bethlehem, from the tribe of Judah, and from the lineage of Judah, and he was a Levite, and he dwelt there.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage follows the account of Samson's death and transitions to the narrative of Micah's idol, marking a new episode in the Book of Judges.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ወቴራጲን","severity":"info","text":"The term 'teraphim' (ወቴራጲን) refers to household idols or cultic images, often associated with divination in the Hebrew Bible.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'each man did what was right in his own eyes' echoes Judges 17:6, which describes the lawlessness of the period when there was no king in Israel.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The mention of a Levite from Bethlehem (ዘእምነ ቤተ ልሔም) connects to the narrative of Micah's idol, where a young Levite becomes a priest, reflecting the decentralized religious practices of the time.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic version closely follows the Septuagint tradition in its rendering of the Micah narrative, including the detail of the gold and silver payments.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether the 'one hundred and eleven' refers to pieces of gold or a weight; the translation assumes pieces.","The phrase 'he filled the hand of one of his sons' is idiomatic for ordination, but the exact ritual is not described."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":89,"ref":"p89","source":"ወሖረ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ እምነ ፡ ሀገረ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ወእምነ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ልሔም ፡ ከመ ፡ ይኅድር ፡ ሶበ ፡ ረከበ ፡\nወበጽሐ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ኀበ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ሚካ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይቢት ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ ሚካ ፡ እምአይቴ ፡ መጻእከ ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ ሌዋዊ ፡ አነ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ልሔም ፡ ዘይሁዳ ፡ ወአሐውር ፡\nእንበር ፡ ኀበ ፡ ረከብኩ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ ሚካ ፡ ንበር ፡ ምስሌየ ፡ ወኩነኒ ፡ አበ ፡ ወካህነ ፡ ወአነ ፡ እሁበከ ፡ ዐሥሩ ፡ ኅብስተ ፡ ለለ ፡ ዕለትከ\n፡ ወዘውገ ፡ አልባስ ፡ ወሲሳየከ ፡ ወሖረ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ሌዋዊ ።\n\nወአኀዘ ፡ ይንበር ፡ ምስለ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ወኮኖ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ወልድ ፡ ከመ ፡ አሐዱ ፡ እምነ ፡ ደቂቁ ።\n\nወመልአ ፡ እዴሁ ፡ ሚካ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ ሌዋዊ ፡ ወኮኖ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ወልድ ፡ ካህነ ፡ ወነበረ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ሚካ ።\n\nወይቤ ፡ ሚካ ፡ ይእዜ ፡ አእመርኩ ፡ ከመ ፡ አሠነየ ፡ ገቢረ ፡ ላዕሌየ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ እስመ ፡ ኮነኒ ፡ ሌዋዊ ፡\nካህነ ።","english":"And that man went from the city of Judah and from Bethlehem to dwell where he found [a place]. And he arrived in Mount Ephraim at the house of Micah to lodge.\n\nAnd Micah said to him, \"From where have you come?\" And the Levite said to him, \"I am from Bethlehem of Judah, and I go wherever I find [a place].\"\n\nAnd Micah said to him, \"Dwell with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten loaves of bread each day, and a garment of the season, and your sustenance.\" And that Levite went.\n\nAnd he began to dwell with that man, and he became to him like a son, as one of his children.\n\nAnd Micah filled the hand of that Levite, and he became to him a son and a priest, and he dwelt in the house of Micah.\n\nAnd Micah said, \"Now I know that the Lord has done good to me, because a Levite has become a priest to me.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ሌዋዊ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term 'ሌዋዊ' (Levite) identifies the man as a member of the priestly tribe of Levi, which in the biblical context of Judges is significant for the narrative of Micah's idolatrous shrine.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is a narrative unit that continues the story of Micah and the Levite, following the previous passage where Micah's mother consecrated gold. The structure shows a sequence of arrival, dialogue, and agreement.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወሖረ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ እምነ ፡ ሀገረ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ወእምነ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ልሔም","severity":"info","text":"The narrative echoes Judges 17:7-13, where a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah comes to Micah's house in Mount Ephraim and is hired as a priest. The Geʿez version closely follows the biblical account.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"አኀዘ ፡ ይንበር","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'አኀዘ ፡ ይንበር' (he began to dwell) uses the auxiliary verb 'አኀዘ' (to begin) with the infinitive, a common Geʿez construction indicating the inception of an action.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"In Ethiopic tradition, this passage is part of the Book of Judges as transmitted in the Geʿez Octateuch, reflecting the reception of the biblical narrative in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify the exact location of 'Mount Ephraim' beyond the biblical reference, and the phrase 'ከመ ፡ ይኅድር ፡ ሶበ ፡ ረከበ' (to dwell where he found) is ambiguous about the Levite's initial intent."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":90,"ref":"p90","source":"Judices 18\n\n18\nወበእማንቱ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ አልቦሙ ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወበእማንቱ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ የኀሥሡ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ ሕዝበ ፡ ዳን ፡ ርስተ\n፡ ኀበ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ እስመ ፡ ኢረከቡ ፡ እስከ ፡ ይእቲ ፡ አሚር ፡ ርስተ ፡ በማእከለ ፡ ሕዝበ ፡ እስራኤል ።\n\nወፈነው ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዳን ፡ እምነ ፡ ሕዝቦሙ ፡ ኀምስተ ፡ ዕደወ ፡ እምነ ፡ መክፈልቶሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ኀይል ፡ እምነ ፡\nሰአራ ፡ ወአስታሖል ፡ ከመ ፡ ይርአይዋ ፡ ለምድር ፡ ወያእምርዋ ፡ ወይቤልዎሙ ፡ ሑሩ ፡ ርእዩ ፡ ለነ ፡ ምድረ ፡ ወበጽሑ ፡\nውስተ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ኀበ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ሚካ ፡ ወኀደሩ ፡ ህየ ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ሚካ ።\n\nወአእመርዎ ፡ ቃሎ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ ወልድ ፡ ወሬዛ ፡ ሌዋዊ ፡ ወቦኡ ፡ ህየ ፡ ወይቤልዎ ፡ መኑ ፡ አምጽአከ ፡ ዝየ ፡\nወምንተ ፡ ትገብር ፡ በዝየ ፡ ወምንተ ፡ ብከ ፡ በዝየ ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ከመዝ ፡ ወከመዝ ፡ ረሰየኒ ፡ ሚካ ፡ ወዐሰበኒ ፡ ወኮንክዎ ፡ ካህነ ።","english":"Judges 18\n\n18\n\nAnd in those days there was no king for Israel, and in those days the people of Dan were seeking an inheritance where they might dwell, because they had been delayed until that time, an inheritance in the midst of the people of Israel.\n\nAnd the sons of Dan sent five of their mighty men from among their divisions, sons of strength from among the thousand and the six hundred, to see the land and to know it, and they said to them, \"Go, see for us the land.\" And they arrived in Mount Ephraim at the house of Micah, and they lodged there at the house of Micah.\n\nAnd they recognized the voice of that Levite youth, and they entered there and said to him, \"Who brought you here? And what do you do here? And what is with you here?\"\n\nAnd he said to them, \"Thus and thus Micah hired me and took me, and I became his priest.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The opening statement that there was no king for Israel situates the narrative in the period of the judges, before the monarchy, consistent with the book's setting.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሕዝበ ዳን","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'people of Dan' refers to the tribe of Dan, one of the twelve tribes of Israel, here seeking a permanent territory.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage introduces the Danite expedition to find land, leading to their encounter with Micah's household, a key episode in the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The sending of five scouts to reconnoiter the land parallels the earlier account of the Danite search for territory in Judges 18, consistent with the biblical source.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic version of Judges, preserved in manuscripts like those cataloged in the Dossier, reflects the reception of the biblical text in the Geʿez tradition.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'እምነ ሰአራ ወአስታሖል' (from the thousand and the six hundred) is ambiguous: it may refer to a military unit of 1,600 men or to a specific division of the tribe."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":91,"ref":"p91","source":"ወይቤልዎ ፡ ተሰአል ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ እመ ፡ ይሴርሐነ ፡ ፍኖተነ ፡ እንተ ፡ ነሐውር ፡ ውስቴታ ፡ ንሕነ ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ካህን ፡ ሑሩ ፡ በሰላም ፤ ይእቲ ፡ ፍኖትክሙ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ እንተ ፡ ባቲ ፡ ተሐውሩ ።\n\nወሖሩ ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ ዕደው ፡ ወበጽሑ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሌሳ ፡ ወርእዩ ፡ ሕዝበ ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስቴታ ፡ ተአሚኖሙ ፡\nይነብሩ ፡ በሕገ ፡ ሲዶና ፡ ህዱኣን ፡ ወዕሩፋን ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይትአመኑ ፡ ወኢክህሉ ፡ ነቢበ ፡ ቃ[ል] ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድ[ር] ፡\nርስተ ፡ መዝገብ ፡ እስመ ፡ ርሑቃን ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ እምነ ፡ ሲዶና ፡ ወአልቦሙ ፡ ተልሓፈ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ሶርያ ።\n\nወገብኡ ፡ እልክቱ ፡ ኀምስቱ ፡ ዕደው ፡ ኀበ ፡ አኀዊሆሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሶራሐ ፡ ወኤስታሖል ፡ ወይቤልዎሙ ፡ ምንት ፡\nያነብረክሙ ።\n\nተንሥኡ ፡ ወንሑር ፡ ላዕሌሃ ፡ እስመ ፡ ቦእናሃ ፡ ወአንሶሰውናሃ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡ ምድር ፡ እስከ ፡ አጽናፊሃ ፡ ወርኢነ ፡\nሕዝበ ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስቴታ ፡ በሕገ ፡ ሲዶና ፡ [ወርኁቃን ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ እምነ ፡ ሲዶና ፡] ወአልቦሙ ፡ ተልሓፈ ፡\nምስለ ፡ ሶርያ ፡ ወባሕቱ ፡ ተንሥኡ ፡ ወንዕረግ ፡ ላዕሌሆሙ ፡ እስመ ፡ ርኢናሃ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡ ምድር ፡ ሠናይት ፡ ጥቀ ፡\nወአንትሙሰ ፡ አርምሙ ፡ ወኢትትሀከዩ ፡ ሐዊረ ፡ ወበዊአ ፡ ከመ ፡ ትትዋረስዋ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡ ምድር ።","english":"And they said to him, “Ask of the Lord whether He will show us the way to the place where we may dwell.”\n\nAnd the priest said to them, “Go in peace; that is your path before the Lord, the way by which you will dwell.”\n\nAnd those five men went and arrived in the land of Lasha, and they saw the people who dwelt there, trusting them. They dwelt according to the law of Sidon, peaceful and prosperous, while they trusted, and they could not speak a word in the land of the inheritance of treasure, for they were far from Sidon, and they had no alliance with Syria.\n\nAnd those five men returned to their brothers in Sorah and Eshtaol, and they said to them, “What sustains you? Arise, and let us dwell upon it, for we have seen its goodness, and we have measured that land to its borders, and we have seen the people who dwell there according to the law of Sidon, and they are far from Sidon, and they have no alliance with Syria. Only arise, and let us go up against them, for we have seen that land, very good, and you, be silent and do not delay, but go and enter so that you may inherit that land.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ተሰአል ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The Danite scouts ask the priest to consult the Lord, a standard oracular inquiry in the Geʿez narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሌሳ","severity":"info","text":"Lasha (ሌሳ) is a toponym; in the Geʿez tradition it likely refers to a region near the Philistine plain, distinct from the biblical Lasha in Genesis.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ሕገ ፡ ሲዶና","severity":"info","text":"The 'law of Sidon' denotes Phoenician cultural and legal customs, often contrasted with Israelite law in Geʿez commentaries.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage follows a pattern: inquiry, priestly response, reconnaissance, report, and exhortation to action.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The report of the five men echoes the biblical account in Judges 18:7-10, but expands with details about Sidonian law and distance from Sidon.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ቃ[ል] ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድ[ር]","severity":"caution","text":"The text has lacunae: ቃ[ል] and ምድ[ር] are restored; the original may have read 'word in the land' or 'voice in the land'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of Lasha is ambiguous; it may be a corruption or variant of Laish or another site.","The phrase 'they could not speak a word in the land' is unclear: it may mean the Danites were silent or that the inhabitants were unable to speak."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":92,"ref":"p92","source":"ወእምከመ ፡ ቦእክሙ ፡ ትበጽሑ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ እለ ፡ ተአሚኖሙ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ወምድርኒ ፡ ረኃብ ፡ እስመ ፡ አግብአ ፡\nእግዚአብሔር ፡ ውስተ ፡ አዴክሙ ፡ ብሔረ ፡ ዘአልቦ ፡ ዘይትኀጣእ ፡ እምነ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ቃል ፡ ዘተፈጥረ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድር ።\n\nወተንሥኡ ፡ እምነ ፡ ህየ ፡ አምነ ፡ ብሔረ ፡ ዳን ፡ እምነ ፡ ሰራሕ ፡ ወኤ[ስ]ታሖል ፡ ስድስቱ ፡ ምእት ፡ ብእሲ ፡\nእ[ለ] ፡ ቅኑታኒሆሙ ፡ ይጸውሩ ፡ ንዋየ ፡ ሐቅሎሙ ።\n\nወዐርጉ ፡ ወኀደሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቀርያት[ያ]ርም ፡ ውስተ ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ወበእንተ ፡ ዝንቱ ፡ ተሰምየ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ መካን ፡\nትዕይንተ ፡ ዳን ፡ እስከ ፡ ዮም ፡ መንገለ ፡ ድኅሬሃ ፡ ለቀርያትያርም ።\n\nወኀሊፎሙ ፡ እምህየ ፡ በጽሑ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ወመጽኡ ፡ እስከ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ሚካ ።\n\nወይቤልዎሙ ፡ እልክቱ ፡ ኀምስቱ ፡ ዕደው ፡ እለ ፡ ሖሩ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይርአይዋ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡ ምድረ ፡ ሌሳ ፡ ወይቤልዎሙ ፡\nለአኀዊሆሙ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ታአምሩ ፡ ከመ ፡ ቦቱ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ዝንቱ ፡ አብያት ፡ ምስለ ፡ ወቴራፍን ፡ ወግልፎ ፡ ወስብኮ ፡\nወይእዜኒ ፡ አእምሩ ፡ ዘትገብሩ ።","english":"And when you reach the people who trusted them, they dwell, and the land is famine, for the Lord brought into your region a land where there is no one who errs from any word that was created in the land.\n\nAnd they arose from there, trusting in the region of Dan, from Serah and Estahol, six hundred men whose possessions they guarded, their property and their fields.\n\nAnd they went up and camped in Kiriath-Jearim, in Judah, and because of this that place was called the sight of Dan until this day, behind Kiriath-Jearim.\n\nAnd passing from there, they reached Mount Ephraim and came to the house of Micah.\n\nAnd those five men who went to see that land of Lesha said to them, and they said to their brothers, “When you see that they are in these houses with the teraphim and the graven image and the woven image, then know what you will do.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative of the Danite migration, recounting the journey from the region of Dan to Kiriath-Jearim, Mount Ephraim, and the house of Micah.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ተአሚኖሙ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez verb ተአሚኖሙ (taʾammənomu) means 'they trusted them' and is used here to describe the relationship between the five scouts and the people of Lasha.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Kiriath-Jearim","severity":"info","text":"Kiriath-Jearim (ቀርያትያርም) is a location in Judah, associated with the Ark of the Covenant in biblical tradition (1 Samuel 6:21–7:1).","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990022646510203941","label":"The text of the Ethiopic version of the Octateuch, with special reference to the age and value of the Haverford manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022646510203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"teraphim","severity":"info","text":"The mention of teraphim (ተራፍን) and graven image (ግልፎ) echoes the biblical account of Micah's idolatry in Judges 17–18.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወቴራፍን","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez text reads ወቴራፍን (wa-terāfən) 'and the teraphim', but the English draft omits the conjunction, potentially obscuring the list of cult objects.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"Dan","severity":"info","text":"The naming of a place as 'the sight of Dan' (ትዕይንተ ዳን) reflects the Ethiopic tradition's interest in etiological explanations for place names.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez phrase ወእምከመ ፡ ቦእክሙ ፡ ትበጽሑ (wa-ʾemkama bāʾəkkəmu təbäṣḥu) is ambiguous: it could mean 'and when you reach' (as in the English draft) or 'and when they reach', depending on the subject of the verb.","The identity of the 'five men' (ኀምስቱ ፡ ዕደው) is unclear: they are the scouts from the previous passage, but the text does not explicitly state their names or tribe."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":93,"ref":"p93","source":"ወገሐሡ ፡ ህየ ፡ ወቦኡ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤቱ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ ወልድ ፡ ሌዋዊ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ሚካ ።\n\nወተአምኅዎ ፡ እልክቱ ፡ ስድስቱ ፡ ምእት ፡ ብእሲ ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይጸውሩ ፡ ንዋየ ፡ ሐቅሎሙ ፡ ቅኑታኒሆሙ ፡ ወተጋብኡ ፡\nኀበ ፡ ኆኅተ ፡ አንቀጽ ፡ እለ ፡ እምነ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዳን ።\n\nወዐርጉ ፡ እልክቱ ፡ ኀምስቱ ፡ ዕደው ፡ እለ ፡ ሖሩ ፡ ቀዲሙ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይርአዩ ፡ ምድረ ፡ ወቦኡ ፡ ህየ ፡ ወነሥኡ ፡\nዝክተ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ወግልፎ ፡ ወቴራፍን ፡ ወስብኮ ፡ ወዝክቱሰ ፡ ካህን ፡ ይቀውም ፡ ኀበ ፡ ኆኅተ ፡ አንቀጽ ፡ ወእልክቱኒ ፡\n፯፻ብእሲ ፡ ይጸውሩ ፡ ንዋየ ፡ ሐቅሎሙ ፡ ቅኑታኒሆሙ ።\n\nወቦኡ ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ ዕደው ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ሚካ ፡ ወነሥኡ ፡ ዝክተ ፡ ግልፎ ፡ ወምስለ ፡ ወቴራፍን ፡ ወስብኮ ፡\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ዝክቱ ፡ ካህን ፡ ምንተ ፡ ትገብሩ ፡ አንትሙ ።\n\nወይቤልዎ ፡ አርምም ፡ ወደይ ፡ እዴከ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አፉከ ፡ ወነዓ ፡ ምስሌነ ፡ ወትከውነነ ፡ አቡነ ፡ ወካህነ ፡ ቦኑ ፡\nይኄይሰከ ፡ ትኩን ፡ ካህነ ፡ ለአሐዱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ እምነ ፡ ትኩን ፡ ካህነ ፡ ለነገድ ፡ ወለሕዝበ ፡ እስራኤል ።","english":"They went there and entered the house of that son of a Levite, into the house of Micah. And those six hundred men trusted him while they were guarding the implements of their fields and their possessions, and they gathered at the entrance of the pass of those from the sons of Dan. And those five men who had gone ahead to spy out the land went up, and they entered there and took the graven image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the vestment. And that priest stood at the entrance of the pass, and those seven hundred men were guarding the implements of their fields and their possessions. And those men entered the house of Micah and took the graven image, the ephod, the teraphim, and the vestment. And that priest said to them, \"What are you doing?\" And they said to him, \"Be silent, and put your hand in your mouth, and come with us, and you will be our father and priest. For it is better for you to be priest for one man than to be priest for a tribe and for the people of Israel.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ቴራፍን","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ቴራፍን (teraphim) refers to household idols or cultic objects, a loanword from Hebrew תְּרָפִים. In this passage, it is listed among items taken from Micah's shrine.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወልድ ፡ ሌዋዊ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'son of a Levite' echoes Judges 17:7, where Micah installs a Levite as his priest. The Geʿez text follows the biblical narrative closely, identifying the Levite's lineage.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The 'pass of those from the sons of Dan' (ኆኅተ ፡ አንቀጽ ፡ እለ ፡ እምነ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዳን) refers to a geographical location in the biblical account of the Danite migration (Judges 18). The Geʿez version preserves this toponym.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage contains a narrative repetition: the taking of the cultic objects (graven image, ephod, teraphim, vestment) is described twice, first for the five spies and then for the larger group. This may reflect a conflation of sources or a scribal expansion.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic Book of Judges, part of the broader Octateuch tradition, was transmitted in Geʿez from earlier Coptic and Greek sources. This passage shows the adaptation of the biblical narrative into the Ethiopian Christian context.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'put your hand in your mouth' (አርምም ፡ ወደይ ፡ እዴከ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አፉከ) is idiomatic; it likely means 'be silent' or 'keep quiet', but the exact nuance is uncertain.","The number of men guarding the fields shifts from 600 to 700 in the same passage, possibly a textual inconsistency or a scribal error."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":94,"ref":"p94","source":"ወተፈሥሐ ፡ ልቡ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ ካህን ፡ ወነሥአ ፡ ውእተ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ወቴራፍን ፡ ወግልፎ ፡ ወስብኮ ፡ ወቦአ ፡ ማእከለ ፡\nሕዝብ ።\n\nወተመይጡ ፡ ወሖሩ ፡ ወነሥኡ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ቤቶ ፡ ወጥሪቶ ፡ ዘክብሩ ፡ ወነድኡ ፡ ቅድሜሆሙ ።\n\nወእንበለ ፡ ይርሐቁ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቤት ፡ መጽአ ፡ ሚካ ፡ ወዕደው ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ እለ ፡ ቅሩበ ፡ ቤቱ ፡ ለሚካ ፡ ወጸርኁ ፡\nእምድኅሬሆሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ ዳን ፡ ወአውየዉ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ ዳን ።\n\nወተመይጡ ፡ ገጾሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዳን ፡ ወይቤልዎ ፡ ለሚካ ፡ ምንተ ፡ ኮንከ ፡ ዘትጸርኅ ።\n\nወይቤሎሙ ፡ ሚካ ፡ ግልፎየ ፡ ዘገበርኩ ፡ ነሣእክሙኒ ፡ ወካህን[የ]ኒ ፡ ወሖርክሙ ፡ ወምንተ ፡ እንከ ፡ ኀደግሙ ፡ ሊተ\n፡ ወትብሉኒ ፡ ምንተ ፡ ትጸርኅ ።\n\nወይቤልዎ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዳን ፡ ኢይሰማዕ ፡ እንከ ፡ ቃልከ ፡ ምስሌነ ፡ ወእመአኮሰ ፡ ይትራከቡከ ፡ ዕደው ፡ መሪራነ ፡\nነፍስ ፡ ወተሐጕል ፡ ዓዲ ፡ ነፍስከ ፡ ወነፍሰ ፡ ቤትከ ።","english":"And his heart rejoiced, that priest, and he took that (idol) with the teraphim, and his cloak, and his mantle, and he entered among the people.\n\nAnd they gathered and went and took all his house and his treasure which he had buried, and they drove (it) before them.\n\nAnd before they had gone far from the house, Micah came, and the people who were near his house cried out, and they shouted after them, after the sons of Dan, and they called out to the sons of Dan.\n\nAnd the sons of Dan turned their faces and said to Micah, \"What is it that you have become, that you shout?\"\n\nAnd Micah said to them, \"My cloak which I made, you have taken from me, and my priest, and you have gone. And what have you left for me, that you say, 'What do you shout?'\"\n\nAnd the sons of Dan said to him, \"Be silent, let your voice be with us. And if, moreover, evil men of harsh spirit gather against you, you will be troubled again, you and the soul of your house.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ወቴራፍን","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ወቴራፍን (wa-terāfən) is a transliteration of Hebrew תְּרָפִים (terāfîm), referring to household idols or cultic images. Its presence here aligns with the biblical narrative of Micah's theft of teraphim (Judges 17–18).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወተፈሥሐ ፡ ልቡ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ ካህን","severity":"info","text":"The priest's rejoicing and taking of the idol and teraphim echoes Judges 18:18–20, where Micah's priest (or Micah himself) reacts to the Danites' theft. The Geʿez version closely follows the biblical sequence.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The narrative of Micah and the Danites (Judges 17–18) is a key episode in the Ethiopic Octateuch tradition, often transmitted alongside the Book of Judges. The Geʿez text here expands the biblical account with additional dialogue and detail.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is part of a continuous narrative sequence (passage 94 of 115) classified as narrative. It follows the Danites' theft of Micah's idol and priest, and includes Micah's pursuit and the Danites' response.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Danites' threat of 'evil men of harsh spirit' (ዕደው ፡ መሪራነ ፡ ነፍስ) parallels the biblical warning in Judges 18:25, where the Danites caution Micah to be silent lest he be harmed. The Geʿez version amplifies the menace.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez phrase ወነሥኡ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ቤቶ ፡ ወጥሪቶ (wa-nasʾu kʷəllo beto wa-ṭərito) could mean 'they took all his house and his treasure' or 'they took all his house and his storehouse'; the English draft opts for 'treasure'.","The identity of 'that priest' (ለውእቱ ፡ ካህን) is ambiguous: it may refer to Micah's Levite priest or to Micah himself acting as priest; the English draft treats it as the priest."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":95,"ref":"p95","source":"ወሖሩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዳን ፡ ፍኖቶሙ ፡ ወርእየ ፡ [ሚካ ፡] ከመ ፡ ይጸንዕዎ ፡ ወተመይጠ ፡ ወአተወ ፡ ቤቶ ።\n\nወእሙንቱሰ ፡ ነሥኡ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ዘገብረ ፡ ሚካ ፡ ወካህነኒ ፡ ወኵሎ ፡ ዘቦ ፡ ወሖሩ ፡ እስከ ፡ ሌሳ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡\nዕሩፍ ፡ ዘተአሚኖ ፡ ይነብር ፡ ወቀተልዎሙ ፡ በአፈ ፡ ኀፂን ፡ ወሀገሮሙኒ ፡ አውዐዩ ።\n\nወአልቦ ፡ ዘድኅነ ፡ እስመ ፡ ርኁቃን ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ እምነ ፡ ሲዶና ፡ ወአልቦሙ ፡ ተልሓፈ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ባዕድ ፡ ሰብእ ፡\nወይእቲሰ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቈላት ፡ እንተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ጦብ ፡ ወሐነጽዋ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ወነበሩ ፡ ውስቴታ ።\n\nወሰመዩ ፡ ስማ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ዳን ፡ በስመ ፡ አቡሆሙ ፡ ዳን ፡ ዘተወልደ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ወስማሰ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡\nሀገር ፡ ቀዲሙ ፡ [ሌሳ] ።\n\nወአቀሙ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ዳን ፡ ግልፎ ፡ ዘሚካ ፡ ወዮናታን ፡ ወልደ ፡ ጌርሶም ፡ ወልደ ፡ ምናሴ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ወደቂቁ\n፡ ካህናት ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ ለሕዝበ ፡ ዳን ፡ እስከ ፡ አመ ፡ ፈለሰት ፡ ምድሮሙ ።","english":"And the sons of Dan went on their way, and [Micah] saw how they were oppressing him, and he was troubled, and he entered his house.\n\nAnd they took everything that Micah had made, and the priest, and everything that was his, and they went as far as Laish, above the people.\n\nA great multitude that had trusted in him was dwelling there, and they killed them by the edge of the sword, and they burned their cities.\n\nAnd there was none who escaped, for they were far from Sidon, and they had no alliance with any other people. And that place was in the valley of the house of Tob, and they built that city and dwelt in it.\n\nAnd they gave a name to that city, Dan, after the name of their father Dan, who was born to Israel; and the former name of that city was [Laish].\n\nAnd the sons of Dan set up for themselves the graven image of Micah, and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests for the people of Dan until the day their land was taken captive.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage concludes the Micah narrative by recounting the Danites' conquest, the founding of the city Dan, and the establishment of a priesthood under Jonathan son of Gershom.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ሌሳ","severity":"info","text":"Laish (Leshem) is identified as the original name of the city later called Dan, located in the northern part of ancient Israel, near the sources of the Jordan River.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ግልፎ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'ግልፎ' (gəlfo) refers to a graven image or idol, specifically the one made by Micah, which the Danites appropriated for their sanctuary.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ዮናታን ወልደ ጌርሶም ወልደ ምናሴ","severity":"info","text":"The identification of Jonathan as the son of Gershom, son of Manasseh, echoes the biblical genealogy in Judges 18:30, linking the Danite priesthood to the Mosaic line.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"እስከ አመ ፈለሰት ምድሮሙ","severity":"info","text":"The note that the Danite priesthood lasted 'until the day their land was taken captive' reflects the later Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom, a perspective from the Geʿez tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ሚካ","severity":"caution","text":"The name 'Micah' is partially restored in brackets in the Geʿez text, indicating a lacuna or uncertain reading in the manuscript source.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text has a lacuna for 'Micah' in the first line, restored by the editor.","The phrase 'above the people' (ላዕለ ሕዝብ) is ambiguous; it may mean 'above the multitude' or 'in the region of the people'."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":96,"ref":"p96","source":"ወአቀሙ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ ግልፎ ፡ ዘሚካ ፡ ዘገብረ ፡ በኵሉ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ አምጣነ ፡ ነበረ ፡ ቤተ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ውስተ ፡\nሴሎም ።\n\nJudices 19\n\n19\nወበእማንቱ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ አልቦሙ ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወሀለወ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ሌዋዊ ፡ ወይነብር ፡ ውስተ ፡ አሐዱ ፡ ሕብር\n፡ ዘደብረ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ወነሥአ ፡ ሎቱ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ብእሲተ ፡ ዕቅብተ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ልሔም ፡ ዘይሁዳ ።\n\nወተምዕዐቶ ፡ ዕቅብቱ ፡ ወኀደገቶ ፡ ወአተወት ፡ ቤተ ፡ አቡሃ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ልሔም ፡ ዘይሁዳ ፡ ወነበረት ፡ ህየ ፡ መዋዕለ\n፡ አርባዕተ ፡ አውራኀ ።\n\nወተንሥአ ፡ ምታ ፡ ወሖረ ፡ ወተለዋ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይትዓረቃ ፡ ወያግብኣ ፡ ኀቤሁ ፡ ወቍልዔሁ ፡ ምስሌሁ ፡ ወክልኤቱ ፡\nአእዱግ ፡ ወሖረ ፡ ቤተ ፡ አቡሃ ፡ ወርእዮ ፡ አቡሃ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡ ወለት ፡ ወሖረ ፡ ወተቀበሎ ።\n\nወአብኦ ፡ ሐሙሁ ፡ አቡሃ ፡ ለብእሲቱ ፡ ወነበረ ፡ ምስሌሁ ፡ ሠሉሰ ፡ መዋዕለ ፡ ወበልዑ ፡ ወሰትዩ ፡ ወቤተ ፡ ህየ ።","english":"And they took for themselves the graven image of Micah, which he had made, in all the days that the house of God was in Shiloh.\n\nJudges 19\n\n19\n\nAnd in those days there was no king of Israel, and there was a Levite man, and he dwelt in one part of Mount Ephraim, and he took for himself a woman, a concubine, from Bethlehem of Judah.\n\nAnd his concubine was angry with him, and she left him, and she went to her father’s house in Bethlehem of Judah, and she dwelt there for a period of four months.\n\nAnd her husband arose and went and followed her, that he might reconcile with her and bring her back to him, and his son with him, and both of the donkeys, and he went to her father’s house, and her father saw that daughter, and he went and received him.\n\nAnd her father brought him into his house, and he dwelt with him for three days, and they ate and drank, and there was a house there.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአቀሙ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ ግልፎ ፡ ዘሚካ","severity":"info","text":"The passage begins with a narrative transition from the previous episode (the Danites' destruction) to the story of the Levite and his concubine, marked by the chapter heading 'Judices 19'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"አልቦሙ ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ እስራኤል","severity":"info","text":"The statement that 'there was no king of Israel' situates the narrative in the pre-monarchic period of the Judges, a time of decentralized authority and moral decline, as understood in the Geʿez tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ዕቅብተ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term 'ዕቅብተ' (ʿəqəbtä) is rendered 'concubine' in the English draft, reflecting a secondary marital status; the word can also mean 'secondary wife' or 'maid', but here it denotes a woman taken without full marriage rites.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ዘይሁዳ","severity":"info","text":"The place name 'Bethlehem of Judah' (ቤተ ፡ ልሔም ፡ ዘይሁዳ) echoes the same location in Judges 19:1-2 of the Masoretic Text, linking the Geʿez version to the biblical narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"መዋዕለ ፡ አርባዕተ ፡ አውራኀ","severity":"info","text":"The duration 'four months' (አርባዕተ ፡ አውራኀ) for the concubine's stay at her father's house is a specific temporal marker, consistent with the biblical account (Judges 19:2) and used to structure the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወቤተ ፡ ህየ","severity":"caution","text":"The final clause 'and there was a house there' (ወቤተ ፡ ህየ) is ambiguous: it may refer to the father's house or a separate dwelling; the Geʿez does not specify, and the English draft follows a literal reading.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the house' in the final clause is unclear—whether it is the father's house or another building.","The term 'ዕቅብተ' could imply a concubine or a secondary wife, with legal nuances not fully captured in the English draft."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":97,"ref":"p97","source":"ወእምዝ ፡ አመ ፡ ራብዕት ፡ ዕለት ፡ ነቅሁ ፡ በጽባሕ ፡ ወተንሥአ ፡ ይሑር ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ አቡሃ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡ ወለት ፡\nለሐሙሁ ፡ አጽንዕ ፡ ልበከ ፡ ወብላዕ ፡ ፍተ ፡ ኅብስት ፡ ወእምዝ ፡ ተሐው[ሩ] ።\n\nወነበ[ሩ] ፡ ወበልዑ ፡ ክልኤሆሙ ፡ ኅቡረ ፡ ወሰትዩ ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ አቡሃ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡ ወለት ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ቢት\n፡ ዮምኒ ፡ ወይትፌሠሐከ ፡ ልብከ ።\n\nወተንሥአ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ይሑር ፡ ወአገበሮ ፡ ሐሙሁ ፡ ወካዕበ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ህየ ።\n\nወነቅሀ ፡ በጽባሕ ፡ አመ ፡ ኃምስት ፡ ዕለት ፡ ከመ ፡ ይሑር ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ አቡሃ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡ ወለት ፡ ብላዕ ፡ እክለ\n፡ ወእምዝ ፡ ተሐውር ፡ እስከ ፡ ተዐርብ ፡ ፀሐይ ፡ ወበልዑ ፡ ወሰትዩ ፡ ክልኤሆሙ ።\n\nወተንሥአ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይሑር ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ወዕቅብቱ ፡ ወቍልዔሁ ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ ሐሙሁ ፡ አቡሃ ፡ ለይእቲ ፡\nወለት ፡ ናሁ ፡ መስየ ፡ ወተቈልቈለ ፡ ፀሐይ ፡ ኅድር ፡ ዝየ ፡ ዮምኒ ፡ ወንበር ፡ ዝየ ፡ ወይትፌሠሐከ ፡ ልብከ ፡ ወትገይሡ\n፡ በጽባሕ ፡ ፍኖተክሙ ፡ ወተአቱ ፡ ቤተከ ።","english":"And after that, on the fourth day, he rose in the morning and set out to go, and her father said to that girl, to her father-in-law, “Strengthen your heart and eat a piece of bread, and after that you may go.”\n\nAnd they sat and ate together, both of them, and drank, and her father said to that girl, to that man, “Stay here today, and let your heart rejoice.”\n\nAnd that man rose to go, and his father-in-law detained him, and he remained in the house there.\n\nAnd he rose in the morning on the fifth day to go, and her father said to that girl, “Eat food, and after that you may go until sunset.” And they ate and drank, both of them.\n\nAnd that man rose to go, he and his concubine and his servant, and his father-in-law, her father, said to that girl, “Behold, it is evening, and the sun has turned; stay here today, and let your heart rejoice, and you will set out on your journey in the morning and go to your house.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage repeats a narrative pattern: rising, eating, and being detained by the father-in-law over four days, building tension before the journey.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ወለት","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ወለት (walatt) means 'girl' or 'daughter'; here it refers to the concubine, not a separate character, consistent with the narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ሐሙሁ","severity":"info","text":"ሐሙሁ (ḥamu-hu) means 'his father-in-law'; the text uses it for the concubine's father, showing the relationship from the Levite's perspective.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The repeated hospitality and delay reflect ancient Near Eastern customs of guest-right and the father-in-law's attempt at reconciliation, common in tribal narratives.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ተሐው[ሩ]","severity":"caution","text":"The verb ተሐው[ሩ] (taḥawwaru) is partially restored; the manuscript may be damaged here, but the sense 'you may go' is clear from context.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The father-in-law's repeated urging to 'strengthen your heart' and 'let your heart rejoice' parallels the biblical Judges 19 narrative of the Levite's concubine.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text uses 'ወለት' (girl) for the concubine, which could be ambiguous but is clarified by context as the same woman from the previous passage.","The partially restored verb 'ተሐው[ሩ]' leaves uncertainty about the exact form, but the meaning 'you may go' is secure."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":98,"ref":"p98","source":"ወአበየ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ በይተ ፡ ወተንሥአ ፡ ወሖረ ፡ ወበጽሑ ፡ እስከ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ ኢየቡስ ፡ እንተ ፡ ይእቲ ፡\nኢየሩሳሌም ፡ ወምስሌሁ ፡ ክልኤቱ ፡ አእዱግ ፡ ጽዑናን ፡ ወዕቅብቱኒ ፡ ምስሌሁ ፡ ይእቲ ።\n\nወእንዘ ፡ ዓዲሆሙ ፡ ሀለዉ ፡ አንጻረ ፡ ኢያቡስ ፡ ወፀሐይኒ ፡ ተቈልቈለት ፡ ጥቀ ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡ ቍልዔሁ ፡ ለእግዚኡ ፡\nነዓ ፡ ንግሐሥ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሀገረ ፡ ኢያቡሴዎን ፡ ዛቲ ፡ ወንቢት ፡ ውስቴታ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ እግዚኡ ፡ ኢይግሕሥ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሀገረ ፡ ነኪር ፡ እንተ ፡ ኢኮነት ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ነኀልፍ ፡ እስከ\n፡ ገባኣ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ ለቍልዔሁ ፡ ነዓ ፡ ንግሐሥ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አሐዱ ፡ መካን ፡ ወንሕድር ፡ ውስተ ፡ ገባኣ ፡ እንተ ፡ ራማ ።\n\nወኀለፉ ፡ ወሖሩ ፡ እስከ ፡ ዐርበ ፡ ፀሐይ ፡ በጺሖሙ ፡ ገባኣ ፡ እንተ ፡ ብንያም ።\n\nወግሕሡ ፡ ህየ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይባኡ ፡ ወይኅድሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ገባኣ ፡ ወቦኡ ፡ ወነበሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ መርሕበ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ወአልቦ\n፡ ዘያበውኦሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤት ፡ ወዘያኀድሮሙ ።","english":"And her father was a man of the house, and he rose and went, and they arrived as far as before Jebus, which is Jerusalem, and with him were two strong servants, and she also was with him.\n\nAnd while they were still on the way, they were opposite Jebus, and the sun had turned very much, and his son said to his master, “Come, let us enter into the city of the Jebusites, this one, and spend the night in it.”\n\nAnd his master said, “I will not enter into a foreign city, which was not for the children of Israel; let us pass on until Gibeah.”\n\nAnd he said to his son, “Come, let us enter into one place and spend the night in Gibeah, which is of Ramah.”\n\nAnd they passed on and went until sunset, and they arrived at Gibeah of Benjamin.\n\nAnd they entered there to eat and to spend the night in Gibeah, and they ate and dwelt in the street of the city, and there was no one who would give them a house or lodge them.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢየቡስ","severity":"info","text":"The toponym 'Jebus' is the pre-Israelite name for Jerusalem, used here to mark the city as foreign to the Israelites.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The identification of Jebus with Jerusalem is a standard biblical gloss, reflecting the post-exilic understanding of the site.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢየሩሳሌም","severity":"info","text":"The gloss 'which is Jerusalem' aligns with the biblical tradition in Joshua 15:8 and 18:28, equating Jebus with Jerusalem.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage follows a narrative pattern of travel, refusal of hospitality, and eventual lodging in a public space, building tension for the ensuing conflict.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ገባኣ","severity":"caution","text":"The toponym 'Gibeah' is ambiguous: it may refer to the city of Benjamin or to a hill; the text specifies 'Gibeah of Benjamin' to disambiguate.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This episode is part of the Ethiopic Judges tradition, which often expands on biblical narratives with local color and moral emphasis.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'her father' is unclear from the preceding context; the English draft assumes the father of the girl mentioned earlier.","The phrase 'Gibeah of Ramah' may conflate two locations; the text treats them as identical."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":99,"ref":"p99","source":"ወመጽአ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ልሂቅ ፡ እምነ ፡ ግብሩ ፡ ወብእሲሁሰ ፡ እምነ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ ወምንባሪሁ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ገባኣ ፡\nወሰብአ ፡ ብሔር[ሰ] ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ብንያሙ ።\n\n[ወ]ነጸ[ረ] ፡ በአዕይንቲ[ሁ] ፡ ወርእ[ዮ] ፡ ለዝክቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ነጋዲት ፡ ውስተ ፡ መርሕበ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ወይቤሎ ፡\nዝክቱ ፡ ልሂቅ ፡ አይቴ ፡ ተሐውር ፡ ወእምአይቴ ፡ መጻእከ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ ኀላፊት ፡ ንሕነ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ልሔም ፡ ዘይሁዳ ፡ እስከ ፡ አመ ፡ ንበጽሕ ፡ ደብረ ፡ ኤፍሬም ፡ እስመ\n፡ እምህየ ፡ አነ ፡ ወሖርኩ ፡ እስከ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ልሔም ፡ ዘይሁዳ ፡ ወአአቱ ፡ ቤትየ ፡ ወአልቦ ፡ ዘአግሐሠኒ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤቱ\n።\n\nወሐሠረሰ ፡ ወእክለኒ ፡ ብነ ፡ ለአእዱግነ ፡ ወኅብስተኒ ፡ ወወይነኒ ፡ ብነ ፡ ወለአመትከኒ ፡ ወለቍልዔ ፡ አግብርቲከ ፡\nአልቦ ፡ ዘነኀጥእ ፡ እምነ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ መፍቅድነ ።\n\nወይቤሎ ፡ ዝክቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ልሂቅ ፡ ሰላም ፡ ለከ ፡ ወኵሉ ፡ ዘአልብከ ፡ ላዕሌየ ፡ ወባሕቱ ፡ ውስተ ፡ መርሕብ ፡\nኢትኅድር ።","english":"And a certain man, a Levite, came from his work, and that man was from Mount Ephraim, and his dwelling was in Gibeah. And the people of the land were sons of Benjamin.\n\nAnd he looked with his eyes and saw that man, a traveler, in the marketplace of the city, and he said to him, \"That Levite, where are you going, and from where have you come?\"\n\nAnd he said to him, \"We are passersby from Bethlehem of Judah until we reach Mount Ephraim, for from there I am, and I went as far as Bethlehem of Judah, to my house, and there is no one who has lodged me in his house.\n\nAnd he has withheld and denied me bread for my donkeys, and bread for me, and wine for me, and for my maidservant, and for the mules, and for your servants. There is no one who has sinned against all our provisions.\"\n\nAnd that man, the Levite, said to him, \"Peace to you, and everything you lack is upon me, and only in the marketplace will you lodge.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ልሂቅ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ልሂቅ (ləḥiq) is used here to denote a Levite, reflecting the biblical term. The English draft translates it as 'Levite'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The narrative echoes Judges 19, where a Levite from Ephraim travels to Bethlehem and is refused hospitality. The mention of Gibeah and the Benjamites aligns with the biblical account.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is part of a larger narrative sequence (p99 of 115) classified as narrative. It continues the story of the Levite's journey and his encounter with a traveler in the marketplace.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"መርሕበ ሀገር","severity":"info","text":"The phrase መርሕበ ሀገር (märḥəbä hagar) means 'marketplace of the city'. The English draft renders it as 'marketplace of the city'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez text includes a lacuna or unclear reading: [ወ]ነጸ[ረ] and በአዕይንቲ[ሁ] are partially reconstructed. The English draft assumes 'And he looked with his eyes'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text has some uncertain readings (e.g., ነጸ[ረ], በአዕይንቲ[ሁ]) that are reconstructed. The identity of the 'certain man' and the 'Levite' may be ambiguous; the draft treats them as distinct characters."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":100,"ref":"p100","source":"ወአብኦ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤቱ ፡ ወአቅመኀ ፡ ለአእዱጊሁ ፡ ወኀፀቡ ፡ እገሪሆሙ ፡ ወበልዑ ፡ ወሰትዩ ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ተፈሥሖሙ ፡ ልቦሙ ፡ ወናሁ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ኃጥኣን ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ዐገትዎ ፡ ለውእቱ ፡ ቤት ፡\nወጐድጐዱ ፡ ኆኅተ ፡ ወይቤልዎ ፡ ለዝክቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ልሂቅ ፡ ባዕለ ፡ ቤት ፡ አውጽኦ ፡ ለዝክቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ዘቦአ ፡ ውስተ\n፡ ቤትከ ፡ ከመ ፡ ንሑሮ ።\n\nወወፅአ ፡ ኀቤሆሙ ፡ ዝክቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ባዕለ ፡ ቤት ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ሐሰ ፡ ለክሙ ፡ አኀዊነ ፡ ኢትግበሩ ፡ እኩየ ፡\nእምድኅረ ፡ ቦአ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤትየ ፡ ኢትግበሩ ፡ ዛተ ፡ እበደ ።\n\nናሁ ፡ ወለትየ ፡ ድንግል ፡ ወዕቅብቱ ፡ ኣውፅኦን ፡ ወአኅስርዎን ፡ ወግበሩ ፡ ላዕሌሆን ፡ ዘይኤድመክሙ ፡ በውስተ ፡\nአዕይንቲክሙ ፡ ወላዕለ ፡ ዝክቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ኢትግበሩ ፡ ዘንተ ፡ ነገረ ፡ እበድ ።\n\nወኢፈቀዱ ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ ሰብእ ፡ ይስምዕዎ ፡ ወነሥኣ ፡ ዝክቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ለዕቅብቱ ፡ ወአውፅኣ ፡ አፍአ ፡ ኀቤሆሙ ፡\nወአኅሰርዋ ፡ ወተወነይዋ ፡ ኵላ ፡ ሌሊተ ፡ እስከ ፡ ጸብሐ ፡ ወፈነውዋ ፡ ሶበ ፡ ዐርገ ፡ ጎሕ ።","english":"And he brought her into his house, and he gave fodder to his donkeys, and he washed their feet, and they ate and drank.\n\nAnd then, when their hearts were gladdened, behold, the wicked sons of the men of the land surrounded that house, and they broke down the door, and they said to that old man, the master of the house, \"Bring out that man who entered into your house, so that we may kill him.\"\n\nAnd that man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, \"No, my brothers, do not do evil. Since the man entered into my house, do not do this evil deed.\"\n\n\"Behold, my daughter is a virgin, and the concubine—bring her out and dishonor her, and do to her what seems fit in your eyes, but do not do this evil thing to that man.\"\n\nBut those men did not consent to listen to him. And that man took the concubine and brought her out to them, and he dishonored her, and they abused her all night until dawn, and they sent her away when the morning rose.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአብኦ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤቱ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez 'he brought her into his house' refers to the Levite's concubine, continuing the narrative from the previous passage.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ዕቅብቱ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'ዕቅብቱ' (ʿəqəbtu) is glossed as 'concubine' in the English draft, but in Geʿez it can also mean 'betrothed' or 'virgin'; the context of abuse supports the concubine reading.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ደቂቀ ፡ ኃጥኣን","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'ደቂቀ ፡ ኃጥኣን' (daqiqa ḫāṭəʾān) literally 'sons of sinners' is a Geʿez idiom for wicked or lawless men, reflecting the moralizing tone of the Ethiopic tradition.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወኢፈቀዱ ፡ እሙንቱ ፡ ሰብእ","severity":"info","text":"The narrative shifts from the master's plea to the men's refusal, marked by 'ወኢፈቀዱ' (wa-ʾi-faqadu) 'and they did not consent', a structural pivot leading to the concubine's abuse.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ወአኅሰርዋ ፡ ወተወነይዋ","severity":"info","text":"The description of abuse 'ወአኅሰርዋ ፡ ወተወነይዋ' (wa-ʾaḫsərwā wa-tawannaywā) 'they dishonored her and abused her' is paralleled in later Ethiopic homilies on Judges, emphasizing the concubine's victimization as a moral lesson.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990022646510203941","label":"The text of the Ethiopic version of the Octateuch, with special reference to the age and value of the Haverford manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022646510203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወለትየ ፡ ድንግል","severity":"caution","text":"The master's claim 'ወለትየ ፡ ድንግል' (wa-walətya dəngəl) 'my daughter is a virgin' is ambiguous: it may be a rhetorical offer to protect the male guest, or a literal statement; the Geʿez does not clarify if the daughter is present.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'ወለትየ ፡ ድንግል' (my daughter the virgin) is unclear—whether she is a separate person from the concubine or a rhetorical figure; the text does not mention her again.","The phrase 'ወአኅሰርዋ ፡ ወተወነይዋ' (they dishonored her and abused her) may imply sexual violence, but the Geʿez verbs are general; the English draft specifies abuse, but the original is less explicit."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":101,"ref":"p101","source":"ወመጽአት ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ብእሲት ፡ በጽባሕ ፡ ወወድቀት ፡ ኀበ ፡ መድረከ ፡ ኆኅት ፡ ዘውእቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ባዕለ ፡ ቤት ፡\nኀበ ፡ ሀለወ ፡ ህየ ፡ እግዚኣ ፡ እስከ ፡ ጸብሐ ።\n\nወተንሥአ ፡ እግዚኣ ፡ በጽባሕ ፡ ወአርኀወ ፡ ኆኅተ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ቤት ፡ ወወፅአ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይሑር ፡ ፍኖቶ ፡ ወረከባ ፡\nለዕቅብቱ ፡ ውድቅተ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ኆኅተ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ቤት ፡ ወእደዊሃ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ መድረክ ።\n\nወይቤላ ፡ ተንሥኢ ፡ ንሑር ፡ ወኢያውሥአቶ ፡ እስመ ፡ ሞተት ፡ ወጸዐና ፡ ዲበ ፡ አድግ ፡ ወተንሥአ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡\nወአተወ ፡ ብሔሮ ።\n\nወቦአ ፡ ቤቶ ፡ ወነሥአ ፡ መጥባሕተ ፡ ወአኀዛ ፡ ለዕቅብቱ ፡ ወመተራ ፡ እምነ ፡ መለያልየ ፡ አዕጽምቲሃ ፡ ዐሠርተ ፡\nወክልኤተ ፡ ክፍለ ፡ ረሰያ ፡ ወፈነዋ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሕዝበ ፡ እስራኤል ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ዘርእያ ፡ ይቤ ፡ አልቦ ፡ አመ ፡ ኮነ ፡ ከመዝ ፡ ወአልቦ ፡ አመ ፡ አስተርአየ ፡ እምአመ ፡ ወፅኡ ፡\nእስራኤል ፡ እምነ ፡ ግብጽ ፡ እስብ ፡ ዮም ። ወአዘዞሙ ፡ ለእልክቱ ፡ ሰብእ ፡ እለ ፡ ፈነዎሙ ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡ ከመዝ ፡\nበልዎሙ ፡ ለኵሉ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ቦኑአ ፡ አመአ ፡ ኮነአ ፡ ከመዝአ ፡ እምአመአ ፡ ወፅኡአ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ አስራኤልአ ፡\nእምነአ ፡ ግብጽአ ፡ እስከአ ፡ ዮምአ ፡ ወረስዩአ ፡ ለክሙአ ፡ ምክረአ ፡ ወተናገሩአ ።","english":"And that woman came in the morning, and she fell at the threshold of the house of that man, the master of the house, where the master was, until morning.\n\nAnd the master arose in the morning, and he opened the door of that house, and he went out to go his way, and he found his concubine fallen at the door of that house, her hands upon the threshold.\n\nAnd he said to her, “Arise, let us go,” but she did not answer him, for she was dead, and she had fallen upon the donkeys. And that man arose and went to his country.\n\nAnd he entered his house, and he took a sword, and he seized his concubine, and he cut her from the joints of her bones into twelve parts, and he sent them throughout the people of Israel.\n\nAnd then, everyone who saw this said, “There has never been such a thing, and there has never been seen such a thing from the time Israel came out of Egypt until today.” And he commanded those men whom he had sent, and he said to them, “Thus say to all the people of Israel: ‘Has there ever been such a thing as this from the time the children of Israel came out of Egypt until today? Take counsel for yourselves, and deliberate.’","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ወመጽአት ፡ ይእቲ ፡ ብእሲት","severity":"info","text":"The woman returns at morning and dies at the threshold, a detail not in the biblical Judges 19:26–28, where she is simply found dead at the door.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ለዕቅብቱ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ለዕቅብቱ (laʿqəbtu) is rendered 'his concubine' in the English draft, consistent with the biblical figure of the Levite's concubine in Judges 19.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወነሥአ ፡ መጥባሕተ","severity":"info","text":"The cutting of the concubine into twelve parts and sending them to the tribes of Israel echoes Judges 19:29, but the number twelve is a specific addition not in the Masoretic text.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage is part of the Ethiopic version of Judges, likely translated from the Septuagint or a Coptic intermediary, with expansions characteristic of the Geʿez tradition.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"አልቦ ፡ አመ ፡ ኮነ ፡ ከመዝ","severity":"info","text":"The rhetorical question 'Has there ever been such a thing?' and the call for counsel reflect a homiletic or didactic expansion, emphasizing the unprecedented nature of the crime.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወጸዐና ፡ ዲበ ፡ አድግ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'she had fallen upon the donkeys' is ambiguous; the Geʿez ዲበ ፡ አድግ (diba ʾadg) could mean 'on the donkeys' or 'on the ground,' and the English draft follows the former, but the sense is unclear.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'she had fallen upon the donkeys' (ዲበ ፡ አድግ) is ambiguous; it may mean she fell on the donkeys or on the ground, and the reading taken is 'on the donkeys'.","The number of parts (twelve) is an addition not in the biblical text, and its significance is not explained."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":102,"ref":"p102","source":"Judices 20\n\n20\nወወፅኡ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወአንገለጉ ፡ ተጋቢኦሙ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ ማኅበሮሙ ፡ ከመ ፡ አሐዱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ እምነ\n፡ ዳን ፡ እስከ ፡ ቤርሳቤሕ ፡ ወገላአድኒ ፡ ውስተ ፡ መሴፋ ።\n\nወቆመ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ወኵሉ ፡ ነገደ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ውስተ ፡ ማኅበረ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ሕዝቡ ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ፡ አርብዓ ፡\nእልፍ ፡ አጋር ፡ ዘይጸውር ፡ ኵናተ ።\n\nወሰምዑ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ብንያም ፡ ከመ ፡ ተጋብኡ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ውስተ ፡ መሴፋ ፡ ወይቤሉ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡\nአይድዑ ፡ በአይቴ ፡ ኮነት ፡ ዛቲ ፡ እኪት ።\n\nወአውሥአ ፡ ዝክቱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ሌዋዊ ፡ ምታ ፡ ለእንታክቲ ፡ ብእሲት ፡ እንተ ፡ ቀተሉ ፡ ወይቤ ፡ በገባአ ፡ ዘብንያሚ ፡\nመጻእኩ ፡ አነ ፡ ወዕቅብትየ ፡ ንኅድር ።\n\nወተንሥኡ ፡ ላዕሌነ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ ገባኣ ፡ ወዐገቱ ፡ ዲቤነ ፡ ውእተ ፡ ቤተ ፡ ሌሊተ ፡ ወኪያየኒ ፡ ፈቀዱ ፡ ይቅትሉኒ ፡\nወለዕቅብትየሰ ፡ አኅሰርዋ ፡ ወተወነይዋ ፡ ወሞተት ።","english":"Judges 20\n\n20\n\nAnd all the children of Israel went out and gathered together all their assemblies as one man, from Dan to Beer-sheba and Gilead, at Mizpah.\n\nAnd the whole people and every tribe of Israel stood in the assembly of all the people before the Lord, forty thousand foot soldiers who bear arms.\n\nAnd the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, and the children of Israel said, “Let us know where this evil occurred.”\n\nAnd that Levite man answered concerning that woman who was killed, and he said, “In Gibeah of Benjamin I came, I and my concubine, to lodge.\n\nAnd the men of Gibeah rose up against us and surrounded us in that house at night, and they sought to kill me, and as for my concubine, they abused and violated her, and she died.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"እስከ ፡ ቤርሳቤሕ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'from Dan to Beer-sheba' is a standard biblical merism for the whole land of Israel, used here to emphasize the comprehensive gathering of the tribes.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"አጋር","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term 'አጋር' (ʾagār) here means 'foot soldiers' or 'infantry,' distinct from cavalry or chariotry, reflecting the military organization of the period.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Judices 20","severity":"info","text":"This passage corresponds to Judges 20:1-5 in the Masoretic Text, recounting the assembly at Mizpah and the Levite's testimony about the outrage at Gibeah.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage is structured as a narrative sequence: gathering of Israel, military census, Benjamin's inquiry, and the Levite's report, each introduced by the conjunction 'ወ' (and).","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"In Ethiopic tradition, this passage is part of the Octateuch (the first eight books of the Bible), which was translated from Greek and used in liturgical readings, emphasizing the moral lesson of collective justice.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify the exact number of troops; 'አርብዓ ፡ እልፍ' (arbaʿā ʾalf) could mean 'forty thousand' or 'forty units,' though the former is standard.","The location 'መሴፋ' (Māsfā) is identified as Mizpah, but its precise site in Benjamin is uncertain."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":103,"ref":"p103","source":"ወነሣእክዋ ፡ ለዕቅብትየ ፡ ወመተርክዋ ፡ በበ ፡ መለያልያ ፡ ወፈነውኩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ደወለ ፡ ርስቶሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል\n፡ እስመ ፡ ገብሩ ፡ እበደ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እስራኤል ።\n\nወናሁ ፡ ኵልክሙ ፡ አንትሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ዝየ ፡ አቅሙ ፡ ለክሙ ፡ [ቃለ ፡] ወምክረ ።\n\nወቆሙ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ከመ ፡ አሐዱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ወይቤሉ ፡ ኢነአቱ ፡ አብያቲነ ፡ ወኢንገብእ ፡ በሓውርቲነ ።\n\nወይእዜኒ ፡ ከመዝ ፡ ግበሩ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ገባአ ፡ ነዐርግ ፡ ላዕሌሆሙ ፡ በበ ፡ መክፈልትነ ።\n\nወንነሥእ ፡ በበ ፡ ዐሠርቱ ፡ ዕደው ፡ ለለ ፡ ምእት ፡ ለኵሉ ፡ ሕዝበ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ከማሁ ፡ ወምእተ ፡ ለዐሠርቱ ፡\nምእት ፡ ወዐሠርቱ ፡ ምእት ፡ ለእልፍ ፡ እለ ፡ ይጸውሩ ፡ ሥንቀ ፡ ለሕዝብ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ፍኖት ፡ ለእለ ፡ የሐውሩ ፡\nይትቃተልዎሙ ፡ ለገባኣ ፡ [ዘ]ብንያሚ ፡ በበይነ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ እበድ ፡ እንተ ፡ ገብሩ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ እስራኤል ።","english":"And I took up the stones and cut them at each joint, and I sent them into all the territory of the inheritance of Israel, because they had done evil in Israel.\n\nAnd behold, all of you, children of Israel, here stand for you [the word] and counsel.\n\nAnd all the people stood as one man and said, \"Our houses are burned, and we shall not enter with our paths.\"\n\nAnd now, do thus against Gibeah: let us go up against them with our divisions.\n\nAnd we shall take up, each ten men for every hundred, for every people of Israel likewise, and a hundred for ten hundred, and ten hundred for a thousand, those who will guard the provisions for the people on the road for those who travel, to fight against the men of Benjamin because of all the evil that they did against Israel.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ዕቅብትየ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term ዕቅብትየ (ʿəqəbtəyā) is a plural noun meaning 'stones' or 'pebbles', here used in a symbolic or ritual action of cutting and distributing stones to mark territory.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወነሣእክዋ ፡ ለዕቅብትየ ፡ ወመተርክዋ ፡ በበ ፡ መለያልያ","severity":"info","text":"This passage echoes the biblical account in Judges 20 where the Israelites gather and prepare for war against Benjamin, but the specific detail of cutting stones at joints is not in the Masoretic Text and appears to be an expansion.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"መለያልያ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez word መለያልያ (mälayaləyā) means 'joint' or 'articulation', possibly referring to the joints of the stones or a metaphorical division of the land; this reflects a local interpretive tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from first-person singular narration ('I took up the stones') to direct address ('all of you, children of Israel') and then to collective speech, indicating a composite narrative voice typical of Ethiopic expansions.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ወንነሥእ ፡ በበ ፡ ዐሠርቱ ፡ ዕደው ፡ ለለ ፡ ምእት","severity":"info","text":"The military organization described (ten men per hundred, hundred per thousand) parallels the census and levy system in Numbers 1 and 31, but is not found in the biblical Judges narrative, suggesting an insertion from priestly or military tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"[ቃለ ፡]","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase ቃለ (qāla, 'word') is bracketed in the edition, indicating a textual uncertainty; the manuscript may have a lacuna or variant reading here, affecting the sense of the address.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the speaker in the first-person singular ('I took up the stones') is unclear; it may be a leader or a collective voice.","The phrase 'our houses are burned' may be literal or metaphorical, and its relation to the biblical narrative is ambiguous.","The bracketed [ቃለ] and [ዘ] indicate possible scribal errors or omissions in the manuscript."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":104,"ref":"p104","source":"ወተጋብኡ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ እምነ ፡ አህጉሪሆሙ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይባኡ ።\n\nወለአኩ ፡ ሕዝበ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ነገደ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይብሉ ፡ ምንትአ ፡ ዛቲአ ፡ እኪትአ ፡\nእንተአ ፡ ኮነትአ ፡ በውስቴትክሙአ ።\n\nወይእዜኒአ ፡ አግብኡአ ፡ ዕደወአ ፡ እለአ ፡ አበሱአ ፡ በገባአ ፡ ደቂቀአ ፡ በለዓምአ ፡ ወንትቃቴሎሙአ ፡ ወናውፅእአ ፡\nእኪተአ ፡ እምነ ፡ እስራኤልአ ፡ ወአበዩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ ሰሚዖቶሙ ፡ ለአኀዊሆሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ።\n\nወተጋብኡ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ እምነ ፡ አህጉሪሆሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ገባኣ ፡ ከመ ፡ ይፃኡ ፡ ወይትቃተልዎሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡\nእስራኤል ።\n\nወተኈለቁ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ በይእቲ ፡ ዕለት ፡ እምነ ፡ አህጉሪሆሙ ፡ ክልኤ ፡ እልፍ ፡ ወኀምሳ ፡ ምእት ፡ ብእሲ ፡\nእለ ፡ ይጸውሩ ፡ ኵናተ ፡ እንበለ ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ገባኣ ።\n\nወእሙንቱኒ ፡ ተኈለቁ ፡ ሰብዐቱ ፡ ምእት ፡ ወራዙት ፡ ኅሩያን ፡ እለ ፡ ክልኤሆን ፡ እደዊሆሙ ፡ የማንያን ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡\nወኵሎሙ ፡ እሉ ፡ ወፃፍያን ፡ በሞፀፍተ ፡ እብን ፡ ወየሀይጱ ፡ ሥዕርተ ፡ ወኢይስሕቱ ።","english":"And all Israel gathered from their cities to come.\n\nAnd I said to the people of Israel, throughout all the tribe of Benjamin, while they said, \"What is this evil that has happened among you?\"\n\nAnd now I have gathered the hands of those who sinned at Gibeah, the sons of Belial, and I will cut them off and expel the evil from Israel.\" But the sons of Benjamin refused to listen to their brothers, the sons of Israel.\n\nAnd the sons of Benjamin gathered from their cities to Gibeah to go out and fight against the sons of Israel.\n\nAnd the sons of Benjamin were slain on that day from their cities: two thousand five hundred men who draw the sword, besides those who dwelt in Gibeah.\n\nAnd those also were slain: seven hundred chosen men, both of whose right hands were all of them, and all these were wounded by stones, and they cut their hair and did not shave.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from a first-person narrative voice (the speaker, likely the Levite or a leader) to third-person accounts of the Benjaminite response and battle, marking a transition from direct speech to historical report.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ደቂቀ በለዓም","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'sons of Belial' (ደቂቀ በለዓም) is a biblical epithet for wicked or worthless men, used here to condemn the perpetrators of the Gibeah outrage.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወኢይስሕቱ","severity":"info","text":"The detail that the chosen men 'cut their hair and did not shave' echoes the Nazirite vow or mourning practices, possibly alluding to Judges 13:5 or 16:19, though not a direct quotation.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The numbers given (2,500 slain Benjaminites, 700 chosen men) are not found in the Masoretic text of Judges 20, suggesting an independent Ethiopic tradition or scribal expansion.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወለአኩ","severity":"caution","text":"The first-person verb 'I said' (ወለአኩ) is ambiguous: it may refer to the Levite narrator or to a collective leader; the English draft assigns it to 'I', but the Geʿez does not specify the speaker.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the first-person speaker in 'I said' is unclear; it could be the Levite or a tribal leader.","The phrase 'both of whose right hands were all of them' is syntactically obscure; it may mean all were right-handed or that both hands were used in combat."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":105,"ref":"p105","source":"ወተኈለቁ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ እንበለ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ ፵፻-፻ብእሲ ፡ ጸዋሬ ፡ ኵናት ፡ ወኵሎሙ ፡ እሉ\n፡ ዕደው ፡ መስተቃትላን ።\n\nወተንሥኡ ፡ ወዐርጉ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቤቴል ፡ ወተስእሉ ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወይቤሉ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ መኑ ፡\nየዐርግ ፡ ለነ ፡ መስፍነ ፡ ዘይትቃተሎሙ ፡ ለነ ፡ ለብንያሚ ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ይሁዳ ፡ ይዕርግ ፡ ለክሙ ፡\nመስፍነ ።\n\nወተንሥኡ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወኀደሩ ፡ ላዕለ ፡ ገባአ ።\n\nወወፅኡ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ ዕደወ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቀትል ፡ ምስለ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ ወተአኀዝዎሙ ፡ በገባኣ ።\n\nወወፅኡ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ እምነ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ወቀተሉ ፡ እምነ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ክልአ ፡ እልፈ ፡ ወዕሥራ ፡ ምእተ ፡\nብእሴ ፡ ይእተ ፡ አሚረ ፡ እለ ፡ ወድቁ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድር ።\n\nወተጸንዑ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወደገሙ ፡ ወፅኡ ፡ ይትቃተሉ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ዝክቱ ፡ መካን ፡ ኀበ ፡ ተቃተሉ ፡ አመ ፡\nቀዳሚት ፡ ዕለት ፡ ህየ ።","english":"And all the children of Israel, except the children of Benjamin, four hundred thousand men, bearers of weapons, and all of them men of war, were gathered.\n\nAnd they arose and went up to Bethel, and they inquired of the Lord, and the children of Israel said, \"Who shall go up for us as a judge who will fight for us against Benjamin?\" And the Lord said to them, \"Judah shall go up for you as a judge.\"\n\nAnd the children of Israel arose and encamped at Gibeah.\n\nAnd all the men of war of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin, and they engaged them at Gibeah.\n\nAnd the children of Benjamin went out from the city and killed of Israel two and twenty thousand men, that is, those who fell upon the ground.\n\nAnd the children of Israel were strengthened and returned; they went out to fight in that same place where they had fought on the first day.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወተኈለቁ","severity":"info","text":"The passage begins with a narrative sequence of gathering, inquiry, and battle, typical of the Ethiopic Judges narrative.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"መስፍነ","severity":"info","text":"The term 'መስፍነ' (judge) here refers to a military leader appointed by God, consistent with the role of judges in the Ethiopic tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ይሁዳ","severity":"info","text":"The Lord's selection of Judah as judge echoes the biblical narrative of Judges 20:18, where Judah leads Israel against Benjamin.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"፵፻-፻ብእሲ","severity":"info","text":"The number 400,000 men is a conventional large figure in Ethiopic military accounts, not necessarily historical.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ብንያሚ","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic tradition emphasizes the moral conflict between Benjamin and the rest of Israel, reflecting a didactic purpose.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990022646510203941","label":"The text of the Ethiopic version of the Octateuch, with special reference to the age and value of the Haverford manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022646510203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ክልአ እልፈ ወዕሥራ ምእተ ብእሴ","severity":"caution","text":"The number 'two and twenty thousand' may be a textual corruption or symbolic; the Geʿez text is consistent but the figure is unusually precise.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'እለ ወድቁ ውስተ ምድር' could mean 'those who fell upon the ground' (i.e., died) or 'those who fell in battle'; the reading taken is 'those who fell upon the ground' as per the English draft."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":106,"ref":"p106","source":"ወዐርጉ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወበከዩ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ እስከ ፡ ሰርክ ፡ ወተስእሉ ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡\nወይቤሉ ፡ ንድግምኑ ፡ ዓዲ ፡ ተቃትሎ ፡ ምስለ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ እኁነ ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ዕረጉ ፡ ኀቤሆሙ ።\n\nወመጽኡ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ኀበ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ አመ ፡ ሳኒት ፡ ዕለት ።\n\nወወፅኡ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ ወተቀበሎሙ ፡ አመ ፡ ሳኒት ፡ ዕለት ፡ እምነ ፡ ገባአ ፡ ወቀተሉ ፡ እምኔሆሙ ፡ እልፈ ፡ ወሰማንያ\n፡ ምእተ ፡ ብእሴ ፡ እለ ፡ ወድቁ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድር ፡ ወኵሎሙ ፡ እለ ፡ ይጸውሩ ፡ ኵናተ ።\n\nወዐርጉ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወኵሉ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ወሖሩ ፡ ቤቴል ፡ ወበከዩ ፡ ወነበሩ ፡ ህየ ፡ ቅድመ ፡\nእግዚአብሔር ፡ ወጾሙ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ እስከ ፡ ሰርክ ፡ ወአዕረጉ ፡ መሥዋዕተ ፡ መድኀኒት ፡ ለእግዚአብሔር ።\n\nወተስእሉ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ወሀለወት ፡ ህየ ፡ ታቦተ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ በእማንቱ ፡ መዋዕል\n።","english":"And the children of Israel went up and wept before the Lord until the evening, and they inquired of the Lord, and they said, “Shall we again do battle with Benjamin, our brother?” And the Lord said to them, “Go up against them.”\n\nAnd the children of Israel came to Benjamin on the second day.\n\nAnd Benjamin went out and received them on the second day from the time they entered, and they slew among them one thousand eight hundred men who fell upon the ground, and all those who bore arms.\n\nAnd all the children of Israel and all the people went up and went to Bethel, and they wept and remained there before the Lord, and the people fasted until the evening, and they offered a sacrifice of salvation to the Lord.\n\nAnd the children of Israel inquired of the Lord, and the Ark of the Lord was there in those days.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage repeats the motif of weeping and inquiry at Bethel from the previous passage, framing the battle as a divinely sanctioned ordeal.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"መድኀኒት","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term mädḫanit (መድኀኒት) means 'salvation' or 'deliverance'; here it qualifies the sacrifice as a 'sacrifice of salvation', a technical term in Ethiopic liturgical tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The mention of the Ark of the Lord (ታቦተ እግዚአብሔር) being present at Bethel reflects a tradition that the Ark was kept at Bethel during the period of the Judges, a detail not found in the Masoretic text.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The battle on the second day and the casualty figure of 1,800 men (እልፈ ወሰማንያ ምእተ) echoes Judges 20:21, where 22,000 Israelites fall, but the number here is significantly reduced, likely a scribal or transmission variant.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic version of Judges often harmonizes or abbreviates the biblical narrative; this passage's emphasis on weeping, fasting, and sacrifice reflects the liturgical piety of the Ethiopian Orthodox tradition.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez phrase 'አመ ሳኒት ዕለት' could mean 'on the second day' or 'on the next day'; the English draft takes it as 'the second day'.","The identity of 'the people' (ሕዝብ) who fast is ambiguous—whether it refers to all Israel or a subset."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":107,"ref":"p107","source":"ወፊንሐስ ፡ ወልደ ፡ እልዓዛር ፡ ወልደ ፡ አሮን ፡ ይቀውም ፡ ቅድሜሃ ፡ በእማንቱ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ ወይቤሉ ፡ ንድግምኑ ፡\nዓዲ ፡ ወፂኦ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ቀትል ፡ ምስለ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ እኁነ ፡ አው ፡ ንኅድግ ፡ ወይቤሎሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ዕረጉ\n፡ እስመ ፡ ጌሠመ ፡ ኣገብኦሙ ፡ ውስተ ፡ እዴክሙ ።\n\nወአንበሩ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ እለ ፡ የዐግትዋ ፡ ለገባአ ፡ ዐውዳ ።\n\nወተአኀዝዎሙ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ለብንያሚ ፡ አመ ፡ ሣልስት ፡ ዕለት ፡ ወተቃተልዎሙ ፡ በኀበ ፡ ገባአ ፡ ከመ ፡ ቀዲሙ ።\n\nወወፅኡ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ ተቀበልዎሙ ፡ ለሕዝብ ፡ ወጐዩ ፡ እምኀበ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ወአኀዙ ፡ ይትቃተሉ ፡ እምነ ፡ ሕዝብ\n፡ ከመ ፡ ቀዲሙ ፡ በውስተ ፡ ፍኖት ፡ አሐቲ ፡ እንተ ፡ ታዐርግ ፡ ለቤቴል ፡ ወአሐቲ ፡ እንተ ፡ ታዐርግ ፡ ለገባኣ ፡\nበውስተ ፡ ገዳም ፡ የአክሉ ፡ ፴ብእሲ ፡ እምነ ፡ እስራኤል ።\n\nወይቤሉ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ ይመውቱ ፡ ቅድሜነ ፡ ከመ ፡ ቀዲሙ ፡ ወይቤሉ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ንጐይይ ፡ ወናርሕቆሙ\n፡ እምነ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ውስተ ፡ ፍናዌ ።","english":"And Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, stood before them in those days, and they said, “Shall we again go up and go out to battle with the children of Benjamin, our brother, or shall we leave them?” And the Lord said to them, “Go up, for I have delivered them into your hands.”\n\nAnd the children of Israel placed those who would ambush Gibeah of the round.\n\nAnd Israel seized the Benjamites on the third day and fought them at Gibeah as before.\n\nAnd the children of Benjamin went out to meet the people, and they fled from the city, and they began to fight against the people as before on the road, one that goes up to Bethel and one that goes up to Gibeah, in the wilderness, and they killed thirty men of Israel.\n\nAnd the children of Benjamin said, “Let them die before us as before.” And the children of Israel said, “Let us flee and draw them away from the city onto the roads.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ፊንሐስ","severity":"info","text":"Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, is a priestly figure who appears here as a leader in the conflict with Benjamin, though he is not mentioned in the Hebrew version of Judges 20.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ገባአ ዐውዳ","severity":"info","text":"Gibeah of the round (ገባአ ዐውዳ) is the site of the battle; the phrase echoes the Hebrew Gibeah of Benjamin, but the Geʿez adds a topographical descriptor not in the Masoretic text.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The ambush tactic described (placing those who would ambush) reflects a military stratagem common in Ethiopic retellings of biblical battles, possibly influenced by local warfare traditions.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage repeats the pattern of the previous day's battle (cf. passage 106), with the same question to the Lord, the same divine command, and the same outcome, emphasizing the cyclical nature of the conflict.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The dialogue between the Israelites and Benjaminites, with each side declaring their intent, mirrors the verbal exchanges in the Hebrew text of Judges 20:23-25, but the Geʿez adds a strategic feigned retreat.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez text conflates the third day of battle with the ambush at Gibeah, whereas the Hebrew source (Judges 20:29-31) separates these events; the chronology here is compressed.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ገባአ ዐውዳ' (Gibeah of the round) may refer to a specific location or a descriptive epithet; the reading taken is as a toponym.","The identity of 'those who would ambush' is not specified; the reading taken is that they are Israelite soldiers placed in hiding."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":108,"ref":"p108","source":"ወተንሥኡ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ ዕደወ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ እምነ ፡ መካኖሙ ፡ ወተቃተሉ ፡ በበዓልታመር ፡ ወማዕገቶሙኒ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡\nተባአሱ ፡ በመካኖሙ ፡ እምነ ፡ ዐረቢሃ ፡ ለገባኣ ።\n\nወገብኡ ፡ እንተ ፡ ቅድሜሃ ፡ ለገባኣ ፡ እልፍ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ኅሩያን ፡ እምነ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወጸንዐ ፡ ቀትል ፡ ወእሙንቱሰ\n፡ ኢያእመሩ ፡ ከመ ፡ በጽሐቶሙ ፡ እከይሆሙ ።\n\nወአውደቆሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ለብንያሚ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወቀተልወሙ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ለብንያሚ ፡\n፪፻-፻ወ፶ወ፩፻ወኵሎሙ ፡ እሉ ፡ እለ ፡ ይጸውሩ ፡ ኵናተ ።\n\nወርእየ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ ከመ ፡ ተቀትለ ፡ ወወሀብዎሙ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ መካነ ፡ እስመ ፡ ተአመኑ ፡ በማዕገቶሙ ፡ ዘሤሙ ፡\nላዕለ ፡ ገባአ ።\n\nወሖሩ ፡ እልክቱ ፡ እለ ፡ ዐገቱ ፡ ወቀተልዋ ፡ ለሀገር ፡ በአፈ ፡ ሐፂን ።\n\nወአዘዝዎሙ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ለእለ ፡ የዐግቱ ፡ ከመ ፡ በኀፂን ፡ ይቅትልዎሙ ፡ ወያዕርግዎ ፡ ለጢሰ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ከመ ፡\nማኅፈድ ።","english":"And all the men of Israel rose up from their places and fought at Baʿaltamar, and their wounded among Israel were healed in their places from the evening of Gibeah.\n\nAnd they sent before Gibeah a thousand chosen men from Israel, and the slaughter was fierce, and they did not know that their evil had reached them.\n\nAnd the Lord delivered the Benjamites before Israel, and the children of Israel killed the Benjamites, two hundred and fifty and one hundred, and all these who bore arms.\n\nAnd Benjamin saw that he was slain, and Israel gave them a place because they trusted in their wounded who were over Gibeah.\n\nAnd those who were left went and destroyed the city with the edge of the sword.\n\nAnd Israel commanded those who were left that they should kill them with the sword and burn the city with fire, as a punishment.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"በበዓልታመር","severity":"info","text":"The toponym Baʿaltamar (በበዓልታመር) marks a shift from the previous ambush narrative to a pitched battle, consistent with the narrative structure of Judges 20.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢያእመሩ","severity":"info","text":"The verb ኢያእመሩ (they did not know) is a negative perfect form; the Geʿez here emphasizes the Israelites' ignorance of their own moral failing, a nuance not fully captured in the English draft.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአውደቆሙ ፡ እግዚአብሔር","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'And the Lord delivered them' echoes Judges 20:35, where divine intervention is explicit; the Geʿez text closely follows the biblical account of the Benjamite defeat.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"፪፻-፻ወ፶ወ፩፻","severity":"info","text":"The casualty figures (250 and 100) are not found in the Masoretic text of Judges 20; they may reflect a distinct Ethiopic textual tradition or a scribal gloss.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአዘዝዎሙ","severity":"info","text":"The command to burn the city with fire (ያዕርግዎ ለጢሰ ሀገር) aligns with later Ethiopic homiletic traditions that interpret the destruction of Gibeah as divine punishment for the Benjamites' sin.","cites":[{"key":"hollis:alma990022646510203941","label":"The text of the Ethiopic version of the Octateuch, with special reference to the age and value of the Haverford manuscript","url":"https://hollis.harvard.edu/permalink/f/1s5nto6/990022646510203941"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወሀብዎሙ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ መካነ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'Israel gave them a place' is ambiguous: it may mean a burial site or a place of refuge; the Geʿez does not clarify, and the English draft's 'gave them a place' is a literal rendering.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'those who were left' (እለ ዐገቱ) is unclear: it could refer to the surviving Benjamites or to a contingent of Israelites; the Geʿez allows both readings.","The number of casualties (250 and 100) is not paralleled in the standard biblical text, leaving the source of these figures uncertain."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":109,"ref":"p109","source":"ወተመይጡ ፡ ዕደወ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ በውስተ ፡ ቀትል ፡ ወለብንያምሰ ፡ አኀዝዎ ፡ ይቅትልዎ ፡ ዕደወ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ የአክሉ\n፡ ስድስተ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ እስመ ፡ ይቤ ፡ እንበለ ፡ ይቅትሉኒ ፡ ቀተልክዎሙ ፡ በቅድሜየ ፡ ከመ ፡ ቀትለ ፡ ቀዲሙ ።\n\nወዝክቱ ፡ ማኅፈደ ፡ ጢስ ፡ እምነ ፡ ሀገር ፡ ከመ ፡ ዐምድ ፡ ወነጸረ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ ድኅሬሁ ፡ ወናሁ ፡ ዐርገ ፡ ጥፍዐተ\n፡ ሀገር ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሰማይ ።\n\nወተመይጡ ፡ ዕደወ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ወተወላወሉ ፡ ዕደወ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ ወርእዩ ፡ ከመ ፡ በጽሐቶሙ ፡ እከይሆሙ ።\n\nወነትዑ ፡ ቅድሜሆሙ ፡ ለእስራኤል ፡ ውስተ ፡ ፍኖተ ፡ ገዳም ፡ ወበጽሖሙ ፡ ቀትል ፡ ወእለሂ ፡ እምነ ፡ አህጉር ፡\nቀተልዎሙ ፡ በማእከሎሙ ።\n\nወቀተልዎሙ ፡ ለብንያሚ ፡ ወአጥፍእዎሙ ፡ ወደምስሶ ፡ ደምሰስዎሙ ፡ በቅድመ ፡ ገባአ ፡ እመንገለ ፡ ጽባሒሃ ።\n\nወወድቁ ፡ እምነ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ እልፍ ፡ ወሰማንያ ፡ ምእት ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ወኵሎሙ ፡ እሉ ፡ ጽኑዓን ፡ ዕደው ።","english":"And the armies of Israel were smitten in the battle, and as for Benjamin, they seized them to kill them, the armies of Israel were able to kill six hundred men, because they said, \"If they do not kill me, I have killed them before me, as he killed before.\"\n\nAnd that was the hiding place of the fire from the city, like a pillar, and Benjamin looked behind him, and behold, the conflagration of the city had ascended into the sky.\n\nAnd the armies of Israel were smitten, and the armies of Benjamin were thrown into confusion, and they saw that their evil had reached them.\n\nAnd they fled before Israel into the wilderness road, and they reached the battle, and those from the cities killed them in their midst.\n\nAnd they killed the Benjamites, and destroyed them, and utterly annihilated them before Gibeah came from the direction of its morning.\n\nAnd from Benjamin fell one thousand eight hundred men, and all of these were strong warriors.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The first sentence describes the Israelites killing six hundred Benjamites who had previously killed Israelites, with a direct speech element that may reflect a vow or boast.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ጢስ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez word ጢስ (ʿəs) means 'fire' and here refers to a conflagration rising from the city, likely a divine or punitive fire.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage alternates between the fate of the armies and the destruction of Benjamin, with a climactic note on the annihilation before Gibeah at dawn.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The final verse gives a casualty count of 1,800 Benjamite warriors, all described as strong, which may be a summary of the battle's outcome.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'they fled before Israel into the wilderness road' is ambiguous: it may refer to Benjamites fleeing or to Israelites pursuing; the Geʿez allows both readings.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the fleeing group in the fourth sentence is ambiguous: it could be the Benjamites or the Israelites.","The phrase 'before Gibeah came from the direction of its morning' is obscure; it may refer to a time reference or a topographical feature."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":110,"ref":"p110","source":"ወነትዑ ፡ ወጐዩ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ኰኵሐ ፡ ሬሞን ፡ ወአረይዎሙ ፡ ኀምሳ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ወዴገንዎሙ ፡ ወተለውዎሙ ፡ እስከ\n፡ [ጌዴአም ፡] ወቀተሉ ፡ እምኔሆሙ ፡ ፳፻ብእሴ ።\n\nወኮኑ ፡ ኵሎሙ ፡ እለ ፡ ወድቁ ፡ እምነ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ ፪፻-፻ወ፶፻ብእሲ ፡ እለ ፡ ይጸውሩ ፡ ኵናተ ፡ በይእቲ ፡ ዕለት ፡\nወኵሎሙ ፡ እሉ ፡ ዕደው ፡ ጽኑዓን ።\n\nወነትዑ ፡ ወጐዩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኰኵሐ ፡ ሬሞን ፡ ስድስቱ ፡ ምእት ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ወነበሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኰኵሐ ፡ ሬሞን ፡\nአርባዕተ ፡ አውራኀ ።\n\nወዐጸውዎሙ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ ወቀተልዎሙ ፡ በአፈ ፡ ኀፂን ፡ ወለሀገሮሙኒ ፡ ወለእንስሳሆሙ ፡\nወኵሉ ፡ ዘተረክበ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አህጉር ፡ ወአህጉሪሆሙ ፡ እለ ፡ ረከቡ ፡ አውዐይዎን ፡ በእሳት ።\n\nJudices 21\n\n21\nወተማሐሉ ፡ ሰብአ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ በመሴፋ ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይብሉ ፡ ከመ ፡ ኢየሀብ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ እምኔነ ፡ ወለቶ ፡ ለብንያሚ ፡\nያስተዋስብ ።","english":"And they fled and went to the rock of Remmon, and they showed them fifty hundred men, and they left them and abandoned them until [Gedeon?] and they killed from among them two thousand men.\n\nAnd all those who fell from among Benjamin were twenty-five thousand men who bore arms on that day, and all these were strong enemies.\n\nAnd they fled and went into the rock of Remmon, six hundred men, and they dwelt in the rock of Remmon for four months.\n\nAnd the men of Israel besieged the sons of Benjamin and killed them with the edge of the sword, and their cities and their livestock and everything that was found in the cities and their villages which they found they burned with fire.\n\nJudges 21\n\n21\nAnd the men of Israel swore in Mizpah, saying, \"We will not give a man from among us his daughter to Benjamin.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ኰኵሐ ሬሞን","severity":"info","text":"The toponym 'Rock of Remmon' corresponds to the Hebrew 'Selaʿ Rimmon' (Judg 20:45, 47), a refuge for the Benjaminites. The Geʿez form reflects the Greek Ῥεμμών.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወነትዑ ወጐዩ ኀበ ኰኵሐ ሬሞን","severity":"info","text":"This passage conflates Judg 20:45–47, where the Benjaminites flee to the Rock of Rimmon and are besieged. The numbers (25,000 dead, 600 survivors) are not in the Masoretic text but appear in the Septuagint tradition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Judices 21","severity":"info","text":"The chapter heading 'Judices 21' marks a transition to the oath at Mizpah (Judg 21:1). The Geʿez text follows the Septuagint chapter division, which differs from the Hebrew Bible.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወተማሐሉ ሰብአ እስራኤል በመሴፋ","severity":"info","text":"The oath at Mizpah (Judg 21:1) is rendered with the Geʿez verb 'tamaḥḥalu' ('they swore'), reflecting the Ethiopic tradition's emphasis on communal vows. The place name 'Mizpah' is transliterated directly.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ጌዴአም","severity":"caution","text":"The name 'Gedeon' appears in brackets in the edition, indicating a textual crux. The reference is unclear; it may be a scribal insertion or a corruption. The English draft marks it with a question mark.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The name 'Gedeon' (ጌዴአም) is uncertain; it may be a gloss or a misreading.","The numbers (50 hundred = 5000? 25,000 dead, 600 survivors) differ from the Masoretic text and may reflect a variant Septuagint tradition."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":111,"ref":"p111","source":"ወሖሩ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ውስተ ፡ መሴፋ ፡ ወውስተ ፡ ቤቴል ፡ ወነበሩ ፡ እስከ ፡ ሰርክ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡\nወጸርኁ ፡ ወበከዩ ፡ ዐቢየ ፡ ብካየ ።\n\nወይቤሉ ፡ ለምንት ፡ እግዚኦ ፡ ኮነት ፡ ዛቲ ፡ በውስተ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ከመ ፡ ትፃእ ፡ ዮም ፡ አሐቲ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ እምነ\n፡ እስራኤልል ።\n\nወእምዝ ፡ በሳኒታ ፡ ጌሡ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ወነደቁ ፡ ህየ ፡ ምሥዋዐ ፡ ወአዕረጉ ፡ መሥዋዕተ ፡ መድኀኒት ።\n\nወይቤሉ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ መኑ ፡ ዘኢዐርገ ፡ እምነ ፡ ማኅበር ፡ እምነ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ሕዝበ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ኀበ ፡\nእግዚአብሔር ፡ እስመ ፡ ዐቢይ ፡ መሐላሆሙ ፡ ከመ ፡ ዘኢዐርገ ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ውስተ ፡ መሴፋ ፡ ሞተ ፡ ይሙት ፡\nይቤሉ ።\n\nወተዓረቅዎ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ለብንያሚ ፡ እኁሆሙ ፡ ወይቤሉ ፡ ትወፅእኑ ፡ ዮም ፡ አሐቲ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ እምነ ፡\nእስራኤል ።\n\nምንተ ፡ እንከ ፡ ንሬስዮሙ ፡ ለእለ ፡ ተርፉ ፡ በእንተ ፡ አንስት ፡ ናሁ ፡ መሐልነ ፡ ንሕነ ፡ በእግዚአብሔር ፡ ከመ ፡\nኢነሀቦሙ ፡ እምነ ፡ አዋልዲነ ፡ ያውስቡ ።","english":"And all the people went to Mizpah and to Bethel, and they remained until evening before the Lord. And they cried and wept a great weeping.\n\nAnd they said, \"Why, O Lord, has this happened within Israel, that one tribe from Israel should perish today?\"\n\nAnd then, on the second day, the people gathered and built an altar there and offered a sacrifice of salvation.\n\nAnd the children of Israel said, \"Who is it that has separated from the assembly, from all the people of Israel, before the Lord? For their great oath was that whoever separated from the Lord at Mizpah would die,\" they said.\n\nAnd the children of Israel sent word to Benjamin, their brother, and said, \"Will one tribe from Israel perish today?\"\n\n\"What then shall we do to those who remain, because of the women? For we have sworn by the Lord that we would not give our daughters to them in marriage.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"መሴፋ","severity":"info","text":"Mizpah (Geʿez መሴፋ) is a key site in Judges 20–21 where Israel assembled against Benjamin. The narrative here conflates Mizpah and Bethel as gathering places for lament and oath-taking.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"መሥዋዕተ መድኀኒት","severity":"info","text":"The phrase መሥዋዕተ መድኀኒት (sacrifice of salvation) is a technical term in Geʿez for a thanksgiving or salvific offering, not found in the Hebrew Masoretic Text of Judges.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢነሀቦሙ እምነ አዋልዲነ ያውስቡ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez phrase 'we would not give our daughters to them in marriage' echoes Judges 21:1, where Israel swears not to give wives to Benjamin. The wording is a free paraphrase of the biblical oath.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage forms a narrative interlude of lament and ritual (weeping, altar-building, sacrifice) before the resolution of the Benjaminite crisis, typical of the Ethiopic expansion of Judges.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Ethiopic Book of Judges (LIT1700Judges) is part of the broader Octateuch tradition, transmitted in Geʿez with expansions not found in the Hebrew or Greek versions, reflecting local liturgical and homiletic interests.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez text does not specify whether the 'great oath' refers to a biblical vow (cf. Judg 21:5) or an extra-biblical tradition; the reading taken assumes a paraphrase of the biblical account.","The identity of 'Gedeon' in the previous passage is uncertain; the text may conflate Gideon with another judge."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":112,"ref":"p112","source":"ወይቤሉ ፡ መኑ ፡ እምነ ፡ አሐቲ ፡ ሕዝበ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ዘኢዐርገ ፡ ኀበ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ውስተ ፡ መሴፋ ፡ ወናሁ ፡\nአሐዱ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ኢመጽአ ፡ እምነ ፡ ኢያቢስ ፡ ዘገላአድ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ማኅበሮሙ ።\n\nወተፋቀዱ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ ወናሁ ፡ ፩ብእሲ ፡ ዘእምነ ፡ ኢያቢስ ፡ ዘገላአድ ፡ ኢሀለወ ።\n\nወለአኩ ፡ ህየ ፡ ማኅበሮሙ ፡ እልፈ ፡ ወዕሥራ ፡ ምእተ ፡ ብእሴ ፡ እምነ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ኀይል ፡ ወአዘዝዎሙ ፡ እንዘ ፡\nይብሉ ፡ ሑሩ ፡ ወቅትሉ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኢያቤስ ፡ ዘገላአድ ፡ በአፈ ፡ ኀፂን ፡ ወአንስተኒ ፡ ወሕዝበኒ\n።\n\nወከመዝ ፡ ግበሩ ፡ ኵሎ ፡ ተባዕተ ፡ ወኵሎ ፡ አንስተ ፡ አለ ፡ ያአምራ ፡ ብእሴ ፡ ቅትሉ ።\n\nወረከቡ ፡ እምነ ፡ እለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ [ኢያቤስ ፡ ዘ]ገላአድ ፡ አርባዕተ ፡ ምእተ ፡ አዋልደ ፡ ደናግለ ፡ እለ\n፡ ኢያእመራ ፡ ብእሴ ፡ ወአምጽእዎን ፡ ውስተ ፡ ትዕይንት ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሴሎ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ምድረ ፡ ከናአን ።","english":"And they said, \"Who from among the tribes of Israel has gone up to the Lord at Mizpah?\" And behold, one man came from Jabesh-Gilead into their assembly.\n\nAnd the people assembled, and behold, one man from Jabesh-Gilead was present.\n\nAnd there were there in their assembly one thousand one hundred and twenty men of the valiant, and they commanded them, saying, \"Go and kill all who dwell in Jabesh-Gilead by the edge of the sword, both women and children.\"\n\nAnd thus they did: they killed every male and every woman who knew a man.\n\nAnd they found among those dwelling in Jabesh-Gilead four hundred young virgins who had not known a man, and they brought them into the sight, into Shiloh, into the land of Canaan.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The assembly gathers at Mizpah, a traditional site for tribal muster, and a single man from Jabesh-Gilead appears, setting the stage for the punitive expedition.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ኢያቢስ ዘገላአድ","severity":"info","text":"Jabesh-Gilead is a town east of the Jordan, in Gilead. Its inhabitants are portrayed as having failed to join the assembly, leading to the massacre.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The command to kill all inhabitants by the sword echoes the herem (ban) language of Deuteronomy 20:13–14, though no direct citation is given.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The number 1,120 (one thousand one hundred and twenty) is a precise military tally, typical of the Ethiopic Judges’ interest in enumerating forces.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The sparing of virgins and their removal to Shiloh reflects a concern with purity and cultic space, a motif elaborated in later Ethiopic commentary.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Geʿez text has a lacuna: the phrase 'ኢያቤስ ዘ' is partially supplied from context; the original manuscript may have had a variant spelling or omission.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'one man' from Jabesh-Gilead is ambiguous: he may be a survivor or a messenger. The text does not clarify his role.","The phrase 'into the sight' (ውስተ ትዕይንት) is ambiguous: it may mean 'into view' or refer to a specific location; the translation 'into the sight' is literal."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":113,"ref":"p113","source":"ወለአኩ ፡ ኵሉ ፡ ማኅበሮሙ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ እለ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ኰኵሐ ፡ ሬሞን ፡ ወጸውዕዎሙ ፡ ለሰላም ።\n\nወገብአ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ ኀበ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ በእማንቱ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ ወወሀብዎሙ ፡ አንስተ ፡ እለ ፡ እምነ ፡ አንስተ\n፡ ኢያቤስ ፡ ዘገላአድ ፡ ወሠምሩ ፡ በዝንቱ ።\n\nወሕዝብኒ ፡ ተኳነንዎሙ ፡ ለብንያሚ ፡ እስመ ፡ ገብረ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ ቀትለ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሕዝበ ፡ እስራኤል ።\n\nወይቤሉ ፡ ሊቃናተ ፡ ማኅበር ፡ ምንተ ፡ ንገብር ፡ በእንተ ፡ እለ ፡ ተርፉ ፡ በበይነ ፡ አንስት ፡ እስመ ፡ ጠፍአ ፡\nአንስት ፡ እምነ ፡ ብንያሚ ።\n\nወይቤሉ ፡ ርስት ፡ ተርፈ ፡ ለብንያሚ ፡ ወኢትደምሰስ ፡ ሕዝብ ፡ እምነ ፡ እስራኤል ።\n\nወንሕነኒ ፡ ኢንክል ፡ ውሂቦቶሙ ፡ አንስተ ፡ እምነ ፡ አዋልዲነ ፡ እስመ ፡ መሐልነ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ እንዘ ፡\nንብል ፡ ርጉም ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ዘይሁብ ፡ ብእሲተ ፡ ለብንያሚ ።\n\nወይቤሉ ፡ በዓለ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ በሴሎ ፡ እምነ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ በበ ፡ መዋዕሊሁ ፡ ውእቱ ፡ እመንገለ ፡ መስዐ ፡ ቤቴል\n፡ ወጽባሒሃ ፡ ለፍኖት ፡ እንተ ፡ ታዐርግ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቤቴል ፡ ለሲቂማ ፡ ወእመንገለ ፡ አዜባ ፡ ለሌቦና ።","english":"And they said, all their assembly, to Benjamin, those who were within the rock of Rimmon, and they called them to peace.\n\nAnd Benjamin came to the children of Israel in those days, and they gave them wives from among the wives of Jabesh-Gilead, and they rejoiced in this.\n\nAnd the people judged Benjamin, because the man of God had killed among the people of Israel.\n\nAnd the elders of the assembly said, \"What shall we do concerning those who remain among the women, because the women of Benjamin have perished?\"\n\nAnd they said, \"An inheritance remains for Benjamin, and the people shall not be blotted out from Israel.\"\n\nAnd we, we are not able to give them wives from our daughters, because we have sworn to the children of Israel, saying, 'Cursed is he who gives a woman to Benjamin.'\"\n\nAnd they said, \"The Lord of hosts at Shiloh, from the days of old, in his own times, he is from the direction of the setting sun of Bethel, and its morning for the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and from the direction of the east to Lebonah.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ኰኵሐ ፡ ሬሞን","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'rock of Rimmon' (ኰኵሐ ፡ ሬሞን) refers to the stronghold where the Benjaminites took refuge after the Gibeah incident, as in Judges 20:47.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወሀብዎሙ ፡ አንስተ ፡ እለ ፡ እምነ ፡ አንስተ ፡ ኢያቤስ ፡ ዘገላአድ","severity":"info","text":"The provision of wives from Jabesh-Gilead to the Benjaminites echoes Judges 21:8-12, where the elders of Israel arrange for the survivors of Benjamin to take wives from Jabesh-Gilead.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"በዓለ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ በሴሎ","severity":"info","text":"The 'Lord of hosts at Shiloh' (በዓለ ፡ እግዚአብሔር ፡ በሴሎ) refers to the sanctuary at Shiloh, a central cultic site in pre-monarchic Israel, as in Judges 21:19.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወይቤሉ ፡ ሊቃናተ ፡ ማኅበር","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from narrative to deliberative dialogue, introduced by 'the elders of the assembly said' (ወይቤሉ ፡ ሊቃናተ ፡ ማኅበር), marking a formal council scene.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ርጉም ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ዘይሁብ ፡ ብእሲተ ፡ ለብንያሚ","severity":"info","text":"The curse on giving wives to Benjamin (ርጉም ፡ ውእቱ ፡ ዘይሁብ ፡ ብእሲተ ፡ ለብንያሚ) reflects the Geʿez tradition's emphasis on the oath taken at Mizpah, as in Judges 21:1-5.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ወጽባሒሃ ፡ ለፍኖት ፡ እንተ ፡ ታዐርግ ፡ እምነ ፡ ቤቴል ፡ ለሲቂማ","severity":"caution","text":"The geographical description of the road from Bethel to Shechem and the direction of Lebonah is obscure; the Geʿez text may reflect a corrupted or expanded tradition of Judges 21:19.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the man of God' who killed among the people of Israel is unclear; possibly a reference to Phinehas or an angelic figure.","The phrase 'its morning for the road' (ጽባሒሃ ፡ ለፍኖት) is syntactically ambiguous, possibly indicating a directional marker."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":114,"ref":"p114","source":"ወአዘዝዎሙ ፡ ለደቂቀ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ ወይቤልዎሙ ፡ ሑሩ ፡ ወዕግቱ ፡ ውስተ ፡ አዕጻደ ፡ ወይን ።\n\nወተዐቀቡ ፡ አዋልዲሆሙ ፡ ለእለ ፡ ይነብሩ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሴሎ ፡ እንዘ ፡ ይትዌነያ ፡ በመሰንቆ ፡ ወትወፅኡ ፡ እምነ ፡\nአዕጻደ ፡ ወይን ፡ ወምስጡ ፡ ለክሙ ፡ አንስተ ፡ እምነ ፡ አዋልደ ፡ ሴሎ ፡ ወእትዉ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ብንያሚ ።\n\nወለእመ ፡ መጽኡ ፡ አበዊሆን ፡ ወአኀዊሆን ፡ ይሰነኑክሙ ፡ ንብሎሙ ፡ መሐርዎሙ ፡ እስመ ፡ ኢያውፅኡ ፡ አንስቲያሆሙ ፡\nእምነ ፡ ቀትል ፡ እስመ ፡ አኮ ፡ አንትሙ ፡ ዘወሀብክምዎሙ ፡ በእማንቱ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ ኢትነስሑ ።\n\nወገብሩ ፡ ከማሁ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ ብንያሚ ፡ ወነሥኡ ፡ አንስተ ፡ በኍልቆሙ ፡ እምነ ፡ እለ ፡ ይትዌነያ ፡ ተመሰጥዎን ፡\nወአተዉ ፡ ወገብኡ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ርስቶሙ ፡ ወነደቁ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ አህጉረ ፡ ወነበሩ ፡ ውስቴቶን ።\n\nወአተዉ ፡ እምህየ ፡ ደቂቀ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ሕዝቡ ፡ ወውስተ ፡ ነገዱ ፡ ወአተዉ ፡ እምህየ ፡\nብእሲ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ውስተ ፡ ርስቱ ።","english":"And they commanded the children of Benjamin, and said to them, \"Go and hide in the vineyard groves.\"\n\nAnd the daughters of those who dwelt in Shiloh hid themselves, while they danced with the lyre, and they came out from the vineyard groves, and they said, \"Drink for yourselves, women from the daughters of Shiloh, and come into Benjamin.\"\n\nAnd if their fathers and their brothers come and reproach you, say to them, \"Forgive them, for they brought out their women from death, for it is not you who gave them to them in those days; do not forget.\"\n\nAnd the children of Benjamin did thus, and they took women by force from among those who were dancing, as they had been instructed, and they came and entered into their inheritance, and they built for themselves cities and dwelt in them.\n\nAnd from there the children of Israel came, each man to his tribe and to his people, and from there each man came to his inheritance.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአዘዝዎሙ","severity":"info","text":"The verb 'command' (አዘዘ) is used here in the plural, indicating a collective directive to the Benjaminites, consistent with the narrative's focus on tribal action.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ሴሎ","severity":"info","text":"Shiloh (ሴሎ) was an ancient Israelite religious center; its mention here reflects the biblical tradition of the Benjaminite war and the abduction of women, echoing Judges 21.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ወተዐቀቡ ፡ አዋልዲሆሙ","severity":"info","text":"This passage closely parallels Judges 21:20-23, where the Benjaminites hide in the vineyards and seize dancing women from Shiloh, though the Geʿez version adds specific instructions.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወአተዉ ፡ እምህየ","severity":"info","text":"The repeated phrase 'and from there they came' (ወአተዉ እምህየ) marks a structural transition, concluding the Benjaminite episode and returning each Israelite to his tribe and inheritance.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ወነደቁ ፡ ሎሙ ፡ አህጉረ","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez text emphasizes the rebuilding of cities (አህጉረ) by the Benjaminites, a detail that may reflect later Ethiopic concerns with restoration and communal identity after conflict.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ኢትነስሑ","severity":"caution","text":"The verb 'do not forget' (ኢትነስሑ) is a rare form; its exact reading is uncertain, possibly a scribal error or dialectal variant, affecting the interpretation of the instruction.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ኢትነስሑ' is ambiguous; it may be a negative imperative 'do not forget' or a corrupted form. The reading taken follows the context of forgiveness and memory.","The identity of 'the man of God' in the previous passage is not clarified here; the narrative assumes prior knowledge."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":115,"ref":"p115","source":"ወበእማንቱ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ አልቦሙ ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ እስራኤል ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ዘአደሞ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ አዕይንቲሁ ፡ ይገብር\n።","english":"And in those times, there was no king of Israel; each man did what was right in his own eyes.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ወበእማንቱ ፡ መዋዕል ፡ አልቦሙ ፡ ንጉሠ ፡ እስራኤል","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'in those times, there was no king of Israel' marks the transition to the period of the judges, a recurring structural note in the biblical book.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ብእሲ ፡ ብእሲ ፡ ዘአደሞ ፡ ቅድመ ፡ አዕይንቲሁ ፡ ይገብር","severity":"info","text":"This clause echoes Judges 17:6 and 21:25, which describe the anarchy before the monarchy: 'each man did what was right in his own eyes.'","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወበእማንቱ ፡ መዋዕል","severity":"info","text":"This verse serves as a concluding summary for the narrative of the Benjaminite war (Judges 19–21), encapsulating the moral and political disorder of the period.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT1700Judges","label":"betmas: Book of Judges","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT1700Judges"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ንጉሠ ፡ እስራኤል","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez term 'ንጉሠ እስራኤል' (king of Israel) reflects the Ethiopic tradition's understanding of the pre-monarchic period, consistent with the biblical account of the judges.","cites":[{"key":"dossier:ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch","label":"gap dossier: Ethiopic Octateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth","url":"https://naxiai.com/christian/gaps/ethiopic-anonymous-octateuch"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"ይገብር","severity":"info","text":"In Ethiopic exegesis, this verse is often cited to illustrate the necessity of divinely ordained kingship, a theme prominent in the Solomonic dynasty's ideology.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Geʿez phrase 'ብእሲ ብእሲ' (each man) could be read as distributive ('each and every man') or simply 'each man'; the translation takes the distributive sense.","The temporal reference 'in those times' is vague, but contextually points to the aftermath of the Benjaminite war."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}