This verse seems only loosely connected to the preceding verse, though most versions put it in the same paragraph with 1.34-35. It presents a brief note about the territory of the Amorites. However, the towns mentioned here, Akrabbim and Sela, are not in the traditional Amorite region, but rather towns to the very south of Canaan. This confirms that the term Amorites is used in a general way here, being almost synonymous with the term “Canaanites.”

And the border of the Amorites ran …: The rendering And for the Hebrew waw conjunction seems slightly out of place here, and many versions omit it. At verse 1.10 and verse 1.23 the narrator provides other kinds of “asides,” and translators can use similar solutions here. The word border refers to a boundary that separates territories. In biblical times boundaries were not marked on a map but were signaled by natural phenomena such as trees or rock formations. If such a word does not exist in the target language, translators can say “territory” or “region.” This sentence actually has no verb in Hebrew. Revised Standard Version supplies the verb ran, which may also be rendered “went” or “extended.” Translators should be able to find natural equivalents here. For example, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says “The territory of the Amorites extended….”

From the ascent of Akrabbim describes the area that sloped steeply down from near Beersheba to the Valley of Arabah. This valley runs south from the Dead Sea into the Gulf of Aqaba, to the west of Arabia and east of the Sinai Peninsula. The Hebrew word for ascent comes from the same root as the verb meaning “go up.” Here it refers to a mountain pass. However, in many parts of the world, such passes do not exist, because there are no mountains. In this case translators will have to find a descriptive phrase such as “way/road through the mountain.” The ascent of Akrabbim was on the border of Judah and Edom. The name Akrabbim means “scorpion,” but no one knows how the meaning relates to the pass. It may be that this pass was especially steep and thus very dangerous. Some versions may prefer to translate this name for easier comprehension, for example, “Scorpion Pass” (Contemporary English Version).

From Sela and upward: Sela has been identified by some scholars with Petra, a city carved in rock, in Edom, on the eastern side of the Arabah Valley, east of the Dead Sea. The phrase and upward is unusual, perhaps referring to the highlands, and with ascent constitutes yet another wordplay. Edom was a very high area, with its mountains rising higher than the mountains to the west of the Jordan. Good News Translation assumes upward means “north of,” but Hebrew never refers to cardinal directions in this way. Others think it means this border continued “onward.” For example, New International Version says “and beyond.”

There is a problem of interpretation here because the Amorites are normally thought of as coming from the north, but the text has them living in the southern region of Canaan. The Septuagint changes Amorites to read “Edomites,” and several versions (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) follow this suggestion. For example, Good News Translation says “the Edomite border ran through Akrabbim Pass.” However, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project suggests the following text: “and the boundary of the Amorites [consisted of] the Edomites, from the ascent of Akrabbim.” Contemporary English Version seems to follow this suggestion, saying “The old Amorite-Edomite border used to go from Sela through Scorpion Pass into the hill country.” Translators will have to decide on which reading to follow. However, if the ver Septuagintver* is followed, this should be indicated in a footnote.

Possible translation models for this verse are:

• The border of the Amorites started from Sela, passed through Scorpion Pass, and went on from there.

• The Edomite* border ran through Akrabbim Pass, to Sela and upward.
* This is the rendering of the Greek text, the Septuagint. The Hebrew text has “Amorite.”

With these comments concerning the Danites and the descendants of Joseph, the description of the initial conquests by the various tribes of Israel in the Promised Land of Canaan comes to an end. No tribe has been completely successful in doing what the LORD asked, which was to conquer the region and drive out the inhabitants.

With the introduction of a new character, the angel of the LORD, 2.1 begins a new section. The angel’s message will help the people of Israel understand how they have failed to do what the LORD asked.

Quoted with permission from Zogbo, Lynell and Ogden, Graham S. A Handbook on Judges. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2019. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .