Judges 12

KJ3 Literal Translation — Chapter 12 of 21

1 And the men of Ephraim were called together, and went northward, and said to Jephthah, Why have you passed over to fight against the sons of Ammon, and you have not called on us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire.

2 And Jephthah said to them, I have been a man of strife, my people and I, having great strife with the sons of Ammon. And I called you, and you did not save me out of their hands.

3 And seeing that you did not save us, I put my life in my hand and passed over against the Ammonites, and Jehovah delivered them into my hand. And why have you come up to me today to fight with me?

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Chapter Summary

The men of Ephraim, quarrel with Jephthah and are killed. 7 Jephthah dies. 8 Ibzan ,11 and Elon, 13 and Abdon, judge Israel.

Key Hebrew Words

שִׁבֹּ֫לֶת Shibboleth (flowing stream) H7641 · TWOT 2316b
מַעֲבָרָה ford (of the Jordan) H4569 · TWOT 1556i
רִיב strife, quarrel H7379 · TWOT 2159a
פָּלֵיט fugitive, refugee H6412 · TWOT 1774c
שָׁפַט to judge H8199 · TWOT 2443
לָחַם to fight H3898 · TWOT 1104

People & Context

Jephthah

Gileadite judge who answers Ephraim's quarrel, defeats them, and judges Israel six years before his death

Ibzan

Judge of Bethlehem after Jephthah; had thirty sons and thirty daughters, judged Israel seven years

Elon

A Zebulunite who judged Israel ten years and was buried in Aijalon in Zebulun

Abdon

Son of Hillel of Pirathon; had forty sons and thirty grandsons on seventy donkeys, judged Israel eight years

Timeline

Ephraim's Complaint

The men of Ephraim threatened to burn Jephthah's house because he did not call them to fight Ammon . Jephthah defended himself, stating he called them but they didn't help, so he fought alone .

Judges 12:1-3
War with Ephraim and Shibboleth Test

Jephthah gathered the men of Gilead and struck Ephraim, capturing the fords of the Jordan . They forced fugitives to say 'Shibboleth,' and killed those who said 'Sibboleth,' resulting in forty-two thousand deaths .

Judges 12:4-6
Jephthah's Death

Jephthah judged Israel six years, died, and was buried in Gilead .

Judges 12:7

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