Judges12
New King James Version
1Then the men of Ephraim gathered together, crossed over toward Zaphon, and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the people of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you with fire!”
2And Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were in a great struggle with the people of Ammon; and when I called you, you did not deliver me out of their hands.
3So when I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hands and crossed over against the people of Ammon; and the Lord delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?”
4Now Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, “You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites.”
5The Gileadites seized the fords of the Jordan before the Ephraimites arrived. And when any Ephraimite who escaped said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead would say to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,”
6then they would say to him, “Then say, ‘Shibboleth’!” And he would say, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they would take him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. There fell at that time forty-two thousand Ephraimites.
7And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried among the cities of Gilead.
8After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
9He had thirty sons. And he gave away thirty daughters in marriage, and brought in thirty daughters from elsewhere for his sons. He judged Israel seven years.
10Then Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem.
11After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel. He judged Israel ten years.
12And Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.
13After him, Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel.
14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy young donkeys. He judged Israel eight years.
15Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mountains of the Amalekites.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Judges 12.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Ephraimites quarrel with Jephthah. (1–7). Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon judge Israel. (8–15).
vv1-7
The Ephraimites had the same quarrel with Jephthah as with Gideon. Pride was at the bottom of the quarrel; only by that comes contention. It is ill to fasten names of reproach upon persons or countries, as is common, especially upon those under outward disadvantages. It often occasions quarrels that prove of ill consequence, as it did here. No contentions are so bitter as those between brethren or rivals for honour. What need we have to watch and pray against evil tempers! May the Lord incline all his people to follow after things which make for peace!
vv8-15
We have here a short account of three more of the judges of Israel. The happiest life of individuals, and the happiest state of society, is that which affords the fewest remarkable events. To live in credit and quiet, to be peacefully useful to those around us, to possess a clear conscience; but, above all, and without which nothing can avail, to enjoy communion with God our Saviour while we live, and to die at peace with God and man, form the substance of all that a wise man can desire.
Key Words
אִישׁ: a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
אֶפְרַיִם: Ephrajim, a son of Joseph; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory
צָעַק: to shriek; (by implication) to proclaim (an assembly)
עָבַר: to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation)
צָפוֹן: properly, hidden, i.e. dark; used only of the north as aquarter (gloomy and unknown)
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
יִפְתָּח: Jiphtach, an Israelite; also a place in Palestine
לָחַם: to feed on; figuratively, to consume; by implication, to battle (as destruction)
קָרָא: to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
יָלַךְ: to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)
Cross References
Judges 12Ephraim's prideful, irritable complaint to Jephthah mirrors their earlier contentious behavior toward Gideon.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Exemplifies the idiomatic expression 'I put my life in my hands' to represent imminent danger.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallel use of the Hebrew idiom of putting one's life in one's hand to face danger.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Another occurrence of the biblical idiom 'put my life in my hand' signifying extreme risk.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contrast: Ephraim previously seized the waters of Jordan against Midian, but now Gilead takes them against Ephraim.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Illustrates how a regional accent or pronunciation (dialect) betrays a person's geographic origin.
Supported by JFB
Details the preceding diplomatic and military struggle Jephthah had with the Ammonites.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Apostolic confirmation of Jephthah's inclusion among the exemplars of faith.
Supported by JFB
Parallel description of a minor judge (Jair) with numerous sons and status-revealing ass colts.
Supported by JFB
The large number of children reflects polygamy and the prestigious status of the judge.
Supported by JFB
Biblical maxim stating that pride is the fundamental cause of such bitter contentions.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Direct parallel in the immediate context of Abdon's extensive progeny riding ass colts.
Supported by JFB
Parallel threat of burning someone's house down with fire, showing the volatile culture.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Verbal echo of riding on white asses as a symbol of nobility and leadership.
Supported by Matthew Henry