Judges 12:4 NIV

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

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

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - Judges 12:1-15

Judges 12:0 1. And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together [literally, were called together; the same phrase in chap. Jdg 7:23-24 ], and went northward [in order to cross the Jordan fords. Mizpeh in Gilead lay to the north-east of the tribe of Ephraim], and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us ["the tribe of Ephraim throughout the book of Judges is represented in a most unenviable light." Compare the similar... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Judges 12:1-4

If the Reader recollects the dying benediction of the Patriarch over the two sons of Joseph, how under the spirit of prophecy Jacob put Ephraim before Manasseh, he will here trace the fulfillment of it, and therefrom discover the foundation of the jealousy between those two houses. See Genesis 48:13-20 . But what a melancholy event is it in human nature, to behold from the consequence of the fall the quarrels of brethren to be even greater than among strangers. A brother offended (we are told... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Judges 12:4

Fugitive. Vile and timid, so that his brethren around him might destroy him at any time. (Menochius) --- Galaad dwelt in the midst of the descendants of Joseph. (Haydock) --- But Ephraim, in despite, had represented him as an outcast. Their envy deserved to be severely punished. (Calmet) --- The same passion had nearly excited them to make war upon Gedeon, chap. viii. (Menochius) read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Judges 12:1-7

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... read more