Judges 12

AND the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward Over Iordan, so Northward towards Mizpeh, where Iepthah was, Iudg. 11. 34. and which was in the Northern part of the Land beyond Iordan., and said unto Jephthah Through Pride and Envy, conrending with him, as they did before with Gideon, Iudg. 8. 1., Wherefore passedst thou over Not over Iordan, for there he was already; but over the Borders of the Israelites land beyond Iordan, as appears by comparing this with Iudg. 11. 29. where the same Phrase is used. to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? We will burn thine 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 Hence it appears, that he craved their assistance, which they denied; though that be not elsewhere expressed., ye delivered me not out of their hand.

And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hand i. e. I exposed my self to utmost danger as a man that carries a brittle and precious thing in his hand, which may easily either fall to the ground, or be snatched from him. The same Phrase is used 1 Sam. 19. 5. and 28. 21. Iob 13. 14. Psal. 119. 109., and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day to fight against me Why do you thus requite my kindness in running into such hazard to preserve you and yours??

Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim, among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites According to this Translation, these words are a scoffing and contemptuous expression of the Ephraimites concerning the Gileadites, whom they call Fugitives of Ephraim; the word Ephraim being here taken largely, as it is elsewhere, as Isa. 7. 2, 5. so as it comprehends the other Neighbouring Tribes, of which Ephraim was in some sort the head or chief; and especially their Brethren of Manasseh, who lived next to them, and were descended from the same Father, Ioseph; by reason whereof, both these Tribes are sometimes reckoned for one, and called by the name of the Tribe of Ioseph. And this large signification of Ephraim may seem probable from the following words, where instead of Ephraim is put the Ephraimites, and the Manassites. By Gileadites here they seem principally to mean the Manassites beyond Iordan, who dwelt in Gilead, as appears from Deut. 3. 13. Iosh. 17. 1, 5, 6. And although other Gileadites were joyn'd with them, yet they vent their passion against these; principally, because they envied them most; partly, because they seem to have had a chief hand in the Victory, Iudg. 11. 29. And partly, because they were more nearly related to them, and therefore more obliged to desire their Conjunction with them in the War. These they here opprobriously call fugitives, i. e. such as had deserted their Brethren of Ephraim and Manasseh, and for some worldly advantage planted themselves beyond Iordan at a distance from their Brethren, and were alienated in Affection from them, and carried on a distinct and separate Interest of their own; as appears by their Monopolizing the glory of this Success to themselves, and excluding their Brethren from it. According to the Hebrew the words lie, and may be rendred thus, Therefore (so chi is oft rendred) they said, Fugitives of Ephraim are ye; (i. e. Ye Ephraimites are mere run-aways: for the words next foregoing are, the men of Gilead smote Ephraim. And having told you what they said, because the Pronoun they was ambiguous, he adds by way of Explication) who said it, even, the Gileadites (and they said it when they had got the advantage over them, and got between them and home, as the next verse shows) being between Ephraim and Manasseh; i. e. Having taken the passages of Iordan, as it follows, which lay between Ephraim and that part of Manasseh which was beyond Iordan. Or these latter words may be rendred thus, And the Gileadites were between Ephraim and Manasseh. So there is only an Ellipsis of two small words, which are oft defective, and to be understood in Scripture. Or thus, And the Gileadites were in the midst of the Ephraimites, and in the midst of the Manassites, to wit, those Manassites who ordinarily lived within Iordan, who possibly were confederate with the Ephraimites in this quarrel. And so the meaning is, they followed close after them, and overtook them, and fell upon the midst of them, and smote them; and they sent a party to intercept them at the passages of Iordan, as it here follows..

And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped Heb. The fugitives of Ephraim, as before; for the Hebrew words are the same. Which may make the latter Exposition of the foregoing words more probable, to wit, that it is not the Gileadites, but the Ephraimites who are there as well as here so called, because they were smitten before Iepthah, and fled from him., said, Let me go over, that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay To avoid the present danger.:

Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth Which signifies a stream or river, which they desired to pass over: so it was a word proper for the occasion, and gave them no cause to suspect the Design, because they were required only to express their desire, to go over the Shibboleth or River.; and he said, Sibboleth It is well known, that not only divers Nations, but divers Provinces, or parts of the same Nation who use the same Language, differ in their dialect and manner of pronunciation.: for he could not frame to pronounce it right Or rather, he did not frame or direct himself to speak so, or to speak right; i. e. So as he was required to do it. The Hebrew Text does not say that he could not do it, but that he did it not, because he suspecting not the design of it, uttered it speedily according to his manner of Expression.. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time Not in that place, at the passages of Iordan, but in that Expedition, being slain either in the Battel, or in the Pursuit, or at Iordan. of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

And Jephthah judged Israel six years: then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities Heb. In the cities. The Plural Number put for the Singular, as Gen. 19. 29. where Lot is said to dwell in the cities, i. e. one of the Cities: And 1 Sam. 18. 21 the twain is put for one of the twain: and Iudg. 18. 14. Houses for house: and Ionah 1. 5. The sides, for one of the sides. of Gilead.

¶ And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem Either that in Iudah, of which Matt. 2. 6. Or that in Zebulun, Iosh. 19. 15. judged Israel.

And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he had sent abroad, and took i. e. Took them home for Wives to hip Sons. See Gen. 24. 67. and 31. 50. Deut. 21. 12. 2 Sam. 11. 27. in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.

Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.

And after him, Elon a Zebulonite judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.

And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Ajelon, in the country of Zebulun This is added to distinguish it from other Asalons, of which see Iudg. 1. 35. 1 Chron. 6. 69. and 8. 13..

¶ And after him, Abdon the son of Hillel a Pirathonite judged Israel.

And he had forty sons, and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts, and he judged Israel eight years.

And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites So called from some remarkable Exploit, done either by, or upon the Amalekites in that place..