Judges 12:14

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 12:14

And he had forty sons, and thirty nephews ,.... Or sons' sons, that is, grandsons; so that he lived not only to see his sons married, but his grandchildren grown up to men's estate; since it follows: that rode on seventy ass colts ; who were either employed by him to ride about on these animals, which in those times were honourable; see Judges 5:10 to administer justice throughout the nation in their circuits; or rather, not following any trade, or being concerned in husbandry, or... 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 12:14

nephews = grandsons. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 12:6-15

E. The fifth apostasy 10:6-12:15In view of Israel’s continuing and worsening apostasy, God turned His people over to the discipline of the Ammonites, whom Jephthah finally defeated, and the Philistines. He also used three other judges during this period: Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 12:8-15

4. The judgeships of Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon 12:8-15These three men were quite clearly successors of Jephthah (Judges 12:8; Judges 12:11; Judges 12:13). Probably Ibzan followed Jephthah (Judges 12:8), and then Elon and Abdon succeeded Ibzan (Judges 12:11; Judges 12:13). The writer noted no special deeds of theirs, either because they performed none or because he chose not to feature them in his narrative. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Judges 12:13-15

Abdon’s judgeship 12:13-15Abdon (lit. service or servant) lived in the hill country of Ephraim. Pirathon was west and a little south of Shechem. He too had many sons and daughters who rode on donkeys, reflecting Abdon’s prestige and the peace that prevailed when he judged (cf. Judges 10:4).The fact that several of the judges fathered extremely large families points to their living like the eastern potentates of their day. This is further evidence that Canaanite culture was influencing the... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Judges 12:1-15

The Ephraimites Quarrel with Jephthah. His Death1-6. Jephthah and Ephraim. Once more the members of the leading tribe find themselves left out of the victory, and complain: cp. Judges 8:1; Jephthah deals with them differently from Gideon.1. Northward] RM ’to Zaphon,’ a town near Succoth: cp. Joshua 13:27. 2. When I called you] It would seem that Jephthah had done more than simply rouse Gilead: see on Judges 11:29. 4. Jephthah now makes use of the headship promised him in Judges 11:11. The... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Judges 12:14

(14) Thirty nephews.—The Hebrew has “sons of sons” (benî bhanîm), and the word nephews in our version always means “grandsons” (nepoles), e.g., in Job 18:19, Isaiah 14:22, 1 Timothy 5:4, as in old English generally; similarly nieces means “granddaughters” in Wiclif’s Bible (Genesis 31:43, &c). “The Emperor Augustus . . . saw ere he died the nephew of his niece, that is to say, his progenie to the fourth degree of lineal descent” (Holland’s Pliny, vii. 13; Bible Word Book).That rode on... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Judges 12:1-15

Judges 12:6 I can and do, in retrospect, sympathize heartily, tenderly, and reverentially with the Simeonite or Evangelical reaction. Not a stone would I dare to throw at the names of any of the good men who took part in it. But, at the same time, I know perfectly well that there is a type of character which never did, never will, perhaps, understand Evangelicism, but which is capable of religious faith acceptable to God, though innocent of Shibboleths; and a type which could have found no... read more

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