士師記 12:4-5 JCB

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 12:4

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,... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 12:1-7

Jephthah’s battle with the Ephraimites 12:1-7The writer’s emphasis now shifts from Jephthah’s foolishness to Ephraim’s arrogance. Like Gideon, Jephthah had to deal with disgruntled Ephraimites, but in Jephthah’s case the result was a costly civil war.The Ephraimites were the Gileadites’ neighbors to the west. They resented the fact that Jephthah had not requested their assistance in the war with the Ammonites. We noted earlier that the Ephraimites considered themselves superior to their... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 12:1-15

The Ephraimites Quarrel with Jephthah. His Death1-6. Jephthah and Ephraim. Once more the members of the leading tribe find themselves left out of the victory, and complain: cp. Judges 8:1; Jephthah deals with them differently from Gideon.1. Northward] RM ’to Zaphon,’ a town near Succoth: cp. Joshua 13:27. 2. When I called you] It would seem that Jephthah had done more than simply rouse Gilead: see on Judges 11:29. 4. Jephthah now makes use of the headship promised him in Judges 11:11. The... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Judges 12:4

(4) All the men of Gilead.—This probably implies the Eastern tribes generally.And the men of Gilead smote Ephraim because they said . . .—The translation and the meaning are here highly uncertain. It seems to be implied that in spite of Jephthah’s perfectly reasonable answer the Ephraimites advanced to attack Gilead, and goaded the Gileadites to fury by intolerable taunts, which prevented the Gileadites from giving any quarter when they had won the victory.Ye Gileadites are fugitives of... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Judges 12:5

(5) Took the passages of Jordan.—Only through these fords could the Ephraimites escape to their own tribe. (Comp. Judges 3:28; Judges 7:24.) But while it was excusable to cut off all escape from a dangerous foreign invader, it showed a terrible exasperation to leave no chance of flight to Israelites in a civil war.Before the Ephraimites.—Literally, to Ephraim, which perhaps means “towards, or in the direction of, Ephraim” (per quœ Ephraim, reversurus erat, Vulg.).When those Ephraimites which... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Judges 12:1-15

Judges 12:6 I can and do, in retrospect, sympathize heartily, tenderly, and reverentially with the Simeonite or Evangelical reaction. Not a stone would I dare to throw at the names of any of the good men who took part in it. But, at the same time, I know perfectly well that there is a type of character which never did, never will, perhaps, understand Evangelicism, but which is capable of religious faith acceptable to God, though innocent of Shibboleths; and a type which could have found no... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Judges 12:1-7

SHIBBOLETHSJudges 12:1-7WHILE Jephthah and his Gileadites were engaged in the struggle with Ammon jealous watch was kept over all their movements by the men of Ephraim. As the head tribe of the house of Joseph occupying the centre of Palestine Ephraim was suspicious of all attempts and still more of every success that threatened its pride and preeminence. We have seen Gideon in the hour of his victory challenged by this watchful tribe, and now a quarrel is made with Jephthah who has dared to... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Judges 12:1-15

CHAPTER 12 The strife--Jephthah’s Death--The Other Judges 1. The strife and the slaying of the Ephraimites (Judges 12:1-6 ) 2. Jephthah’s death (Judges 12:7 ) 3. Ibzan, Elon and Abdon (Judges 12:8-15 ) The strife of Ephraim and their question reminds us of what happens under the judgeship of Gideon. There the soft answer turned away wrath. How different it is here. Jephthah in self exaltation shows a far different spirit. Notice the “I” in his answer. “I was at great strife”--”I and my... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Judges 12:4

12:4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites [are] fugitives of Ephraim {d} among the Ephraimites, [and] among the Manassites.(d) You ran from us, and chose Gilead, and now in respect to us you are nothing. read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Judges 12:1-7

JEPHTHAH AND HIS VOW OPPRESSION EAST AND WEST (Judges 10:6-18 ) The story of these verses suggests that preceding the deliverance of Gideon’s time (chap. 6). There seem, indeed, to have been no such widespread idolatry and iniquity in Israel before, and for eighteen years the nation suffered at the hands of the Ammonites on the east and the Philistines on the west (Judges 10:8 ). The Ammonites were very bold and pressed their conquests across the Jordan (Judges 10:9 ). The repentance of... read more