Judges 12:5, Judges 12:6 WEB

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

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 12:5-6

Shibboleth means a river. The only difference between this and Sibboleth, arose from spelling the former with the Hebrew letter Shin, and the latter with Samech. But what is the spiritual illustration of the passage to mark the Shibboleth from the Sibboleth? Is it not, according to what our adored Redeemer taught when he said, 'by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.' Matthew 12:37 . The language of the lips will correspond to the feelings of the heart.... 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

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Judges 12:1-7

The Defeat of the Ephraimites v. 1. And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together and went northward, or, marched Zaphon, a town in the tribe of Gad, on the eastern side of the Jordan Valley, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, to attack them in battle, and didst not call us to go with thee? It was not zeal for fighting the Lord's battles which prompted this outburst, but a presumptuous jealousy, because the Ephraimites had not... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Judges 12:1-7

Ephraim’s proud and envious conduct towards JephthahJudges 12:1-71And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward [proceeded to Zaphon], and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over [Why didst thou pass on—proceed—] to fight against the children [sons] of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire. 2And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife [in a severe conflict] with the children [sons] of... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - Judges 12:1-15

at the Fords of Ephraim Judges 12:1-15 In this second war, Jephthah showed the same conciliatory spirit as he had showed to Ammon. He parleyed sensibly and courteously before he went into the conflict. A great many Christians are less Christian than this. They ignore Christ’s strict injunction, Matthew 18:15 . Ephraim had acted in the same manner to Gideon, Judges 8:1 . In each case that tribe wanted to retain its primacy without the sacrifice which leadership involves; and it was angry when... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Judges 12:1-15

The men of Ephraim took the same action in the case of Jephthah as they had done in the case of Gideon. After his victory they complained that they had not been called to help. It would seem as though they had become more arrogant as the result of Gideon's conciliatory method with them, for this time they came with the deliberate purpose of war. In Jephthah they found a man of another mold. He did not attempt to conciliate but visited them with the most severe punishment. Two things combined... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 12:5-6

Judges 12:5 a ‘And the Gileadites took the fords of Jordan against the Ephraimites.’ Having defeated Ephraim Jephthah moved swiftly and set strong guards at the fords that led back over the Jordan, to prevent the Ephraimites escaping. Jephthah was a great general, but he was not as merciful or tactful as Gideon. He was determined to destroy Ephraim’s whole army, and did not consider the future. This inter-tribal fighting, though forced on Jephthah, would weaken the whole tribal confederation,... read more