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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 12:1-7

Here Is, I. The unreasonable displeasure of the men of Ephraim against Jephthah, because he had not called them in to his assistance against the Ammonites, that they might share in the triumphs and spoils, Jdg. 11:1. Pride was at the bottom of the quarrel. Only by that comes contention. Proud men think all the honours lost that go beside themselves, and then who can stand before envy? The Ephraimites had the same quarrel with Gideon (Jdg. 8:1), who was of Manasseh on their side Jordan, as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 12:3

And when I saw that ye delivered me not ,.... Gave him no assistance against their common enemy, did not attempt to save him and his people out of their hands, but left them to defend themselves: I put my life in my hands ; ready to deliver it up in the defence of his country; the meaning is, that he exposed himself to the utmost danger, hazarded his life in going with a few troops into an enemy's country to fight him, and so liable to lose his life; which was in as much danger, as some... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 12:4

Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim ,.... The Ephraimites not being pacified with the account Jephthah gave of the war between him and the children of Ammon, but continuing in their tumultuous outrage; he, being a man of spirit and courage, got as many of the Gileadites together as he could, and gave them battle: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim ; had the advantage of them, worsted them, killed many of them, and put the rest to flight: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 12:5

And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites ,.... Being either swifter of foot, or going a nearer and shorter way, being better acquainted with their own country: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, let me go over ; the fugitives of Ephraim, as before called, who ran away from the battle, made their escape, and the best of their way to the passages of Jordan, to get over there to their own country: that the men of Gilead said... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 12:6

Then said they unto him, say now "Shibboleth", .... Which signifies a stream or course of water, at which they now were; and so it was as if they had bid them say,"may I, or let me, pass over the stream of this river;'so Jarchi; and this being the case, though it was done to try them, and by their pronunciation learn whether they were Ephraimites or not, they were not upon their guard, but in an hurry, and at once expressed the word as they commonly did: and he said, sibboleth ;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 12:3

I put my life in my hands - I exposed myself to the greatest difficulties and dangers. But whence did this form of speech arise? Probably from a man's laying hold of his sword, spear, or bow. "This is the defender of my life; on this, and my proper use of it, my life depends." When a man draws his sword against his foe, his enemy will naturally aim at his life; and his sword in his hand is his sole defense. It is then, Fight and conquer, or die. Thus Jephthah took his life in his... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 12:4

And fought with Ephraim - Some commentators suppose that there were two battles in which the Ephraimites were defeated: the first mentioned in the above clause; and the second occasioned by the taunting language mentioned in the conclusion of the verse, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim. Where the point of this reproach lies, or what is the reason of it, cannot be easily ascertained. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 12:6

Say now Shibboleth ; and he said Sibboleth - The original differs only in the first letter ס samech , instead of ש sheen ; סבלת ויאמר שבלת נא אמר emar na Shibboleth , vaiyomer Sibboleth . The difference between ש seen , without a point, which when pointed is pronounced sheen , and ס samech , is supposed by many to be imperceptible. But there can be no doubt there was, to the ears of a Hebrew, a most sensible distinction. Most Europeans, and, indeed, most... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 12:3

I put my life in my hands - Compare 1 Samuel 19:5; 1 Samuel 28:21. The phrase expresses the utmost possible risk, knowingly incurred. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 12:4

Because they said ... - This passage is extremely obscure. Render: - “The men of Gilead smote Ephraim, for they (the Gileadites) said, Ye are. the fugitives of Ephraim. (Gilead lies between Ephraim and Manasseh; and Gilead took the fords of Jordan before Ephraim, and it came to pass, when the fugitives of Ephraim said Let me pass over, and the Gileadites asked him, art thou an Ephraimite, and he answered No, Then (the Gileadites) said to him say Shibboleth, etc. So they (the Gileadites) killed... read more

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