Judges 12:1-13:25

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 12:1

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 12:1

The men of Ephraim gathered themselves together - ויצעק vaiyitstsaek , they called each other to arms; summoning all their tribe and friends to arm themselves to destroy Jephthah and the Gileadites, being jealous lest they should acquire too much power. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 12:1

Compare the similar complaint of the Ephraimites to Gideon Judges 8:1, when a civil war was only avoided by Gideon’s wise and patriotic moderation. The overhearing pride of Ephraim comes out in both occurrences (see also Joshua 17:14-18).We will burn thine house upon thee with fire - Compare the fierce threat of the Philistines to Samson’s wife Judges 14:15, and the yet fiercer execution Judges 15:6. Burning appears as a mode of capital punishment Genesis 38:24; Joshua 7:25, and as a mode of... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Judges 12:1

Judges 12:1. The men of Ephraim went northward Over Jordan, where Jephthah was, in the northern part of the land beyond Jordan. And said Through pride and envy, contending with him as they did before with Gideon; over to fight Not over Jordan, for there he was already; but over the borders of the Israelites’ land beyond Jordan. read more

Donald C. Fleming

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 12:1

children = sons. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Judges 12:1

JEPHTHAH'S STORY CONCLUDED; THREE MINOR JUDGES;THE BRIEF CIVIL WAR WITH THE TRIBE OF EPHRAIM"And the men of Ephraim were gathered together and passed northward; and they said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thy house upon thee with fire. And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye saved me not out of their hand. And... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 12:1

CHAP. XII. The Ephraimites expostulate with Jephthah, and threaten to burn his house. Jephthah discomfits them: he dies, and is succeeded by other judges. Before Christ 1180. read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 12:1

1. the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together—Hebrew, "were summoned." and went northward—After crossing the Jordan, their route from Ephraim was, strictly speaking, in a northeasterly direction, toward Mizpeh. the men of Ephraim . . . said unto Jephthah, Wherefore . . . didst [thou] not call us?—This is a fresh development of the jealous, rash, and irritable temper of the Ephraimites. The ground of their offense now was their desire of enjoying the credit of patriotism although they had... read more

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