OET interlinear HERO (JDG) 9:20

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical

וְ⁠אִם־אַ֕יִן תֵּ֤צֵא אֵשׁ֙

and=if not (Some words not found in UHB: and=if not come_out fire from,Abimelech and,let_it_consume DOM masters_of Shekem and=DOM house_of -millo and,let_it_go_out fire from,the_citizens_of Shekem and=from=household -millo and,let_it_consume DOM ʼAⱱīmelek )

Jotham is describing a further condition in which a second event would take place if a first event had. If it would be helpful in your language, you could explicitly state the implied “then” before the second part of this statement. Alternate translation: [But if not, then may fire go forth]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

וְ⁠אִם־אַ֕יִן

and=if not

Jotham 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: [But if you have not acted in truth and in integrity with Jerubbaal and with his house this day]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

תֵּ֤צֵא אֵשׁ֙ מֵ⁠אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ וְ⁠תֹאכַ֛ל אֶת־בַּעֲלֵ֥י שְׁכֶ֖ם וְ⁠אֶת־בֵּ֣ית מִלּ֑וֹא וְ⁠תֵצֵ֨א אֵ֜שׁ מִ⁠בַּעֲלֵ֤י שְׁכֶם֙ וּ⁠מִ⁠בֵּ֣ית מִלּ֔וֹא וְ⁠תֹאכַ֖ל אֶת־אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ

(Some words not found in UHB: and=if not come_out fire from,Abimelech and,let_it_consume DOM masters_of Shekem and=DOM house_of -millo and,let_it_go_out fire from,the_citizens_of Shekem and=from=household -millo and,let_it_consume DOM ʼAⱱīmelek )

Jotham is speaking as if fire would literally go forth from Abimelech and burn up the lords of Shechem and Beth Millo and as if fire from them would also burn up Abimelech. Jotham is using fire to represent the destruction of warfare. He means that, if Abimelech and the lords of Shechem have not treated Gideon and his family right, then he hopes and expects that they will turn against each other and fight a war and destroy each other. (Part of what he said actually was fulfilled literally, when Abimelech burned the tower of Shechem, as verse 49 describes.) If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [may Abimelech and you lords of Shechem fight a war against each other that destroys all of you]