Judges 12:4-6

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Judges 12:1-15

Jephthah and five other judges (10:1-12:15)Little is known of the political or military activities of the judges Tola and Jair. They both exercised power for lengthy periods, and Jair’s family certainly enjoyed considerable power and prestige among the East Jordan tribes (10:1-5).Again the Israelites turned away from Yahweh and worshipped false gods, and again they were punished. The Ammonites conquered the eastern tribes, crossed Jordan, and seized large portions of Israelite territory in... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Judges 12:4

and. This "and" is read in the text in some codices, with two early printed editions, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate. read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Judges 12:5

passages = fords. read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Judges 12:6

frame = take heed, give attention. forty and two thousand = 40 + 2,000 = 2,040. The whole tribe numbered only 32,500 at previous census (Numbers 26:37 ; see note on Judges 7:3 ), and that was less than the first numbering (Numbers 1:33 ). Only 1,000 from each tribe formed the army. Numbers 31:4 , Numbers 31:6 . read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 12:6

Judges 12:6. Say, now, Shibboleth— The word has two senses in the Hebrew; namely, an ear of corn, and floods of water, Psalms 69:2. It is used in the latter sense here; and the test which the Gileadites put the Ephraimites to was to bid them say, "Let me pass over the water." The pronunciation of words of the same language varies greatly in different parts. An Athenian spoke Greek as differently from a Dorian as a northern man speaks English from an inhabitant of the south: it is no wonder,... read more

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

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 12:6-15

E. The fifth apostasy 10:6-12:15In view of Israel’s continuing and worsening apostasy, God turned His people over to the discipline of the Ammonites, whom Jephthah finally defeated, and the Philistines. He also used three other judges during this period: Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon. 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

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