Judges 12:1-10

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Judges 12:8-15

We have here a short account of the short reigns of three more of the judges of Israel, the first of whom governed but seven years, the second ten, and the third eight. For the transgression of a land, many are the princes thereof, many in a short time, successively (Prov. 28:2), good men being removed in the beginning of their usefulness and by the time that they have applied themselves to their business. I. Ibzan of Bethlehem, most probably Bethlehem of Judah, David's city, not that in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 12:1

And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together ,.... Or "cried" F18 יצעק εβοησεν , Sept. "clamatus", i.e. "clamando convocatus", Piscator. "mnellius", Pimcator. ; got together by a cry or proclamation made: in the Hebrew text it is, "a man of Ephraim"; not a single man, but a body of men, who met together and joined as one man. It is highly probable that there were no less than 50,000 of them; for 42,000 of them were slain, Judges 12:6 . and went northward ; or, "went... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 12:2

And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at a great strife with the children of Ammon ,.... As to the cause of the war, or the reason of his going over to fight the children of Ammon, it was a strife or contention between the Gileadites and them, concerning their country; which the children of Ammon claimed as theirs, and the Gileadites insisted on it they had a just right to it; by which it appeared that this was not a personal contention between Jephthah and them; and therefore... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 12:7

And Jephthah judged Israel six years ,.... After the affair of the Ephraimites, he was acknowledged by all Israel as their judge and supreme governor, but did not live long; being perhaps depressed and worn away with grief, on account of his daughter, and other troubles that attended him: then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead : it is not said in what city he was buried, but very probably it was in his own city Mizpeh, where he dwelt. Josephus ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Judges 12:8

And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. There were two Bethlehems, one in the tribe of Zebulun, Joshua 19:15 of which some think this man was; and another in the tribe of Judah, the city of Jesse and David, and of the Messiah; and Josephus says F24 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7. sect. 13. , Ibzan was of the tribe of Judah, of the city of Bethlehem; and because Boaz was of the same place, and lived in the times of the judges, the Jewish Rabbins F25 T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 91. 1. ... read more

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