Save "On the noun אִישׁ in Judges 20:38
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וְהַמּוֹעֵ֗ד הָיָ֛ה לְאִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עִם־הָאֹרֵ֑ב הֶ֕רֶב לְהַעֲלוֹתָ֛ם מַשְׂאַ֥ת הֶעָשָׁ֖ן מִן־הָעִֽיר׃

A time had been agreed upon by the rest of Israel’s side with those in ambush: When a huge column of smoke was sent up from the town,

(The above rendering comes from the RJPS translation—an adaptation of the NJPS translation—showing a slight modification made in October 2023. Before accounting for this rendering, I will analyze the plain sense of the Hebrew term containing אִישׁ.)


See my comment at v. 36.


As for rendering into English, the NJPS ‘the Israelite men’ recognizes a collective usage, but without a situational orientation. See my comment at Josh 10:24. Meanwhile, the fact that women are not in view can go without saying, because it is self-evident from the military context.

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