Judges 12:1-4

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

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

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

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

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

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Judges 12:2

When I called you ... - This circumstance is not related in the main narrative. It is likely to have occurred when Jephthah was first chosen leader by the Gileadites, and when Ephraim would probably ignore his pretensions. read more

Group of Brands