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Judges 12
1Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!”
2But Jephthah replied, “My people and I had a serious conflict with the Ammonites, and when I called, you did not save me out of their hands.
3When I saw that you would not save me, I risked my life and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come today to fight against me?”
4Jephthah then gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim, living in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh.”
5The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim would say, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he answered, “No,”
6they told him, “Please say Shibboleth.” If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. So at that time 42,000 Ephraimites were killed.
7Jephthah judged Israel six years, and when he died, he was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
8After Jephthah, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
9He had thirty sons, as well as thirty daughters whom he gave in marriage to men outside his clan; and for his sons he brought back thirty wives from elsewhere. Ibzan judged Israel seven years.
10Then Ibzan died, and he was buried in Bethlehem.
11After Ibzan, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel ten years.
12Then Elon the Zebulunite died, and he was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
13After Elon, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, judged Israel.
14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. And he judged Israel eight years.
15Then Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, died, and he was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.
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Abdon: A Judge of Israel, in the Time of the Judges Judges 12:13–15
After Elon, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, judged Israel. / He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. And he judged Israel eight years. / Then Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, died, and he was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.
Ajalon: A City of Zebulun Judges 12:12
Then Elon the Zebulunite died, and he was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
Ammonites: Defeated by the Israelites Judges 12:1–3
Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!” / But Jephthah replied, “My people and I had a serious conflict with the Ammonites, and when I called, you did not save me out of their hands. / When I saw that you would not save me, I risked my life and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come today to fight against me?”
Anger: Grievous Words Stir Up Judges 12:4
Jephthah then gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim, living in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh.”
Bethlehem: A Town of Zebulun, Six Miles West of Nazareth: Israel Judged At Judges 12:10
Then Ibzan died, and he was buried in Bethlehem.
Citizens: Wicked: Ephraimites Judges 12:1–4
Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!” / But Jephthah replied, “My people and I had a serious conflict with the Ammonites, and when I called, you did not save me out of their hands. / When I saw that you would not save me, I risked my life and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come today to fight against me?”
Elon: A Hebrew Judge Judges 12:11, 12
After Ibzan, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel ten years. / Then Elon the Zebulunite died, and he was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
Ephraim: A Tribe of Israel: Defeated by Him Judges 12:4–6
Jephthah then gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim, living in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh.” / The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim would say, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he answered, “No,” / they told him, “Please say Shibboleth.” If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. So at that time 42,000 Ephraimites were killed.
Ephraim: A Tribe of Israel: Their Jealousy of Jephthah Judges 12:1
Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!”
Extraordinary Judges: Names of Abdon Judges 12:13
After Elon, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, judged Israel.
Extraordinary Judges: Names of Elon Judges 12:11
After Ibzan, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel ten years.
Extraordinary Judges: Names of Ibzan Judges 12:8
After Jephthah, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
Hillel: Father of Abdon Judges 12:13, 15
After Elon, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, judged Israel. / Then Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, died, and he was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.
Ibzan: A Bethlehemite, and a Judge (Hero) of Israel Judges 12:8–10
After Jephthah, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. / He had thirty sons, as well as thirty daughters whom he gave in marriage to men outside his clan; and for his sons he brought back thirty wives from elsewhere. Ibzan judged Israel seven years. / Then Ibzan died, and he was buried in Bethlehem.
Israel: Under the Judges: Led by Abdon for Eight Years Judges 12:13–15
After Elon, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, judged Israel. / He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. And he judged Israel eight years. / Then Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, died, and he was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.
Israel: Under the Judges: Led by Elon for Ten Years Judges 12:11, 12
After Ibzan, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel ten years. / Then Elon the Zebulunite died, and he was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
Israel: Under the Judges: Led by Ibzan for Seven Years Judges 12:8–10
After Jephthah, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. / He had thirty sons, as well as thirty daughters whom he gave in marriage to men outside his clan; and for his sons he brought back thirty wives from elsewhere. Ibzan judged Israel seven years. / Then Ibzan died, and he was buried in Bethlehem.
Israel: Under the Judges: The Ephraimites Go to War Against Other Tribes Judges 12:1–7
Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!” / But Jephthah replied, “My people and I had a serious conflict with the Ammonites, and when I called, you did not save me out of their hands. / When I saw that you would not save me, I risked my life and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come today to fight against me?”
Jealousy of Jephthah Judges 12:1
Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!”
Jephthah: Falsely Accused by the Ephraimites Judges 12:1
Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!”
Jephthah: Leads Israel for Six Years, Dies, and is Buried in Gilead Judges 12:7
Jephthah judged Israel six years, and when he died, he was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
Jephthah: Leads the Army of the Gileadites Against the Ephraimites Judges 12:4
Jephthah then gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim, living in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh.”
Jordan: Fords of Judges 12:5, 6
The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim would say, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he answered, “No,” / they told him, “Please say Shibboleth.” If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. So at that time 42,000 Ephraimites were killed.
Judge: Abdon Judges 12:13, 14
After Elon, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, judged Israel. / He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. And he judged Israel eight years.
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Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
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Judges 12:1-7 Verses 1-7
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!
Judges 12:8-15 Verses 8-15
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.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary
Historical, contextual, and verse-level study notes for deeper biblical exploration.
Judges 12:1 The Ephraimites Quarrelling with Jephthah.
the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together--Hebrew, "were summoned." and went northward--After crossing the Jordan, their route from Ephraim was, strictly speaking, in a northeasterly direction, toward Mizpeh. the men of Ephraim ... said unto Jephthah, Wherefore ... didst [thou] not call us?--This is a fresh development of the jealous, rash, and irritable temper of the Ephraimites. The ground of their offense now was their desire of enjoying the credit of patriotism although they had not shared in the glory of victory.
Judges 12:2 The Ephraimites Quarrelling with Jephthah.
when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands--The straightforward answer of Jephthah shows that their charge was false; their complaint of not being treated as confederates and allies entirely without foundation; and their boast of a ready contribution of their services came with an ill grace from people who had purposely delayed appearing till the crisis was past.
Judges 12:3 The Ephraimites Quarrelling with Jephthah.
when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands--A common form of speech in the East for undertaking a duty of imminent peril. This Jephthah had done, having encountered and routed the Ammonites with the aid of his Gileadite volunteers alone; and since the Lord had enabled him to conquer without requiring assistance from any other tribe, why should the Ephraimites take offense? They ought rather to have been delighted and thankful that the war had terminated without their incurring any labor and danger.
Judges 12:4-15 Discerned by the Word Sibboleth, Are Slain by the
Gileadites. 4-6. the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim--The remonstrances of Jephthah, though reasonable and temperate, were not only ineffectual, but followed by insulting sneers that the Gileadites were reckoned both by the western Manassites and Ephraimites as outcasts--the scum and refuse of their common stock. This was addressed to a peculiarly sensitive people. A feud immediately ensued. The Gileadites, determined to chastise this public affront, gave them battle; and having defeated the Ephraimites, they chased their foul-mouthed but cowardly assailants out of the territory. Then rushing to the fords of the Jordan, they intercepted and slew every fugitive. The method adopted for discovering an Ephraimite was by the pronunciation of a word naturally suggested by the place where they stood. Shibboleth, means "a stream"; Sibboleth, "a burden." The Eastern tribe had, it seems, a dialectical provincialism in the sound of Shibboleth; and the Ephraimites could not bring their organs to pronounce it.
Judges 12:7 Discerned by the Word Sibboleth, Are Slain by the
Jephthah died--After a government of six years, this mighty man of valor died; and however difficult it may be for us to understand some passages in his history, he has been ranked by apostolic authority among the worthies of the ancient church. He was followed by a succession of minor judges, of whom the only memorials preserved relate to the number of their families and their state [Jud 12:8-15].