OET interlinear JDG 1:7

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-numbers

שִׁבְעִ֣ים ׀ מְלָכִ֡ים

seventy kings

This could be an approximate number, chosen for its symbolic significance. Alternate translation: “dozens of kings”

Note 2 topic: translate-unknown

מְלָכִ֡ים

kings

In Canaan at this time, each city and town had a ruler who had the same title as someone who ruled over a large territory. So, for example, Pharaoh is called the “the king of Egypt” in Exodus 1:5, while the book of Joshua refers to the “king” of cities such as Libnah (Joshua 10:30) and Hebron (Joshua 10:37). If your language uses a different word for people who rule over one community than for people who rule over extensive areas, you could use that term here. Alternate translation: “chieftains”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

בְּֽהֹנוֹת֩ יְדֵי⁠הֶ֨ם וְ⁠רַגְלֵי⁠הֶ֜ם מְקֻצָּצִ֗ים

thumbs/big_toes_of hands_of,their and,big_toes,their cut_off

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. See the General Notes to this chapter for an explanation of the practice described here. It is unlikely that Adoni-Bezek was the agent who did this personally. Alternate translation: “whose thumbs and big toes I ordered my soldiers to cut off”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

הָי֤וּ מְלַקְּטִים֙ תַּ֣חַת שֻׁלְחָנִ֔⁠י

they_were pick_up below/instead_of table,my

Adoni-Bezek is leaving out some of the words that in many languages a sentence would need in order to be complete. You can supply these words from the context if that would be clearer in your language. Alternate translation: “were gathering scraps of food beneath my table”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

הָי֤וּ מְלַקְּטִים֙ תַּ֣חַת שֻׁלְחָנִ֔⁠י

they_were pick_up below/instead_of table,my

Dozens of kings would not have fit under the table where Adoni-Bezek ate his meals, so he probably does not mean this literally. Instead, he seems to be speaking of these defeated chieftains as if they were dogs that had to scrounge for food from the scraps that fell from his table. This indicates that he had reduced them to a state of servile dependence. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “had to survive on what little I gave them” or “were my helpless prisoners”