Jdg 12:1 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and 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 thine house upon thee with fire.
The men of Ephraim gathered themselves together - Compare the similar complaint of the Ephraimites to Gideon Jdg_8:1 And the men of Ephraim said to him, What is this thing you have done to us, not to call us when you went to fight with the Midianites? And they rebuked him sharply. when a civil war was only avoided by Gideon’s wise and patriotic moderation. The overhearing pride of Ephraim comes out in both occurrences.
The men of Ephraim gathered themselves together - 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. It is highly probable that there were no less than 50,000 of them; for 42,000 of them were slain, Jdg_12:6.
We will burn thine house upon thee with fire - Compare the fierce threat of the Philistines to Samson’s wife Jdg_14:15 And it happened on the seventh day they said to Samson's wife, Lure your husband so that he may tell the riddle to us, lest we burn you and your father's house with fire. Have you called us to take what we have? Is it not so? and the yet fiercer execution Jdg_15:6 And the Philistines said, Who has done this? And they answered, Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up and burned her and her father with fire. Burning appears as a mode of capital punishment Gen_38:24 And it happened, about three months afterward, that it was told Judah, saying, Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the harlot, and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burned; Jos_7:25 And Joshua said, Why have you troubled us? The LORD shall trouble you this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones, and as a mode of desperate warfare Jdg_1:8 And the sons of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and had struck it with the edge of the sword, and had set the city on fire. Jdg_20:48 And the sons of Israel turned again to the sons of Benjamin and struck them with the edge of the sword, from the entire city to livestock, to all that was found. Also they set on fire all the cities that they came to. Jos_8:8 And it shall be, when you have taken the city, you shall set the city on fire, according to the command of the LORD you shall do. See, I have commanded you. Jos_8:19 And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand. And they entered into the city, and took it, and hurried and set the city on fire.
and went northward - that is, over the river Jordan, which lay between Gilead and Ephraim; and when they had crossed the river, they turned northward; for Mizpeh, where Jephthah lived, was in the north of the land, near Hermon and Lebanon, Jos_11:3.
and didst not call us to go with thee - 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 not shared in the glory of victory. They quarrel with him just in the same manner as they did with Gideon: these Ephraimites were a proud and turbulent people, and especially were very jealous of the tribe of Manasseh, of which both Gideon and Jephthah were; the one of the half tribe on this side Jordan, and the other of the half that was on the other side; and they were jealous of both, lest any honor and glory should accrue thereunto, and they should get any superiority in any respect over them, since Jacob their father had given the preference to Ephraim; and this seems to lie at the bottom of all their proceedings:
we will burn thine house upon thee with fire - that is, burn his house and him in it; which shows that they were in great wrath and fury, and argued not only the height of pride and envy, but wretched ingratitude, and a cruel disposition; who, instead of congratulating him as Israel's deliverer, and condoling him with respect to the case of his only child, threaten him in this brutish manner.
Jdg 12:2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands.
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. The straightforward answer of Jephthah shows that their charge was false; their complaint of not being treated as confederates and allies entirely without foundation; and their boast of a ready contribution of their services came with an ill grace from people who had purposely delayed appearing till the crisis was past.
ye delivered me not out of their hands - it seems he had called them to assist in driving the enemy out of their boarders when there, and they refused to help him; though it is not elsewhere said, and it is not denied by them.
Jdg 12:3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, 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?
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. The phrase expresses the utmost possible risk, knowingly incurred.
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:
wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day - who rather should have come with thanks to him for the service he had done, not only for the Gileadites, but for all Israel; for had he not fought against the children of Ammon, and conquered them, they would have soon not only overrun and oppressed Gilead, but would have come over Jordan, and dispossessed the other tribes, and particularly Ephraim, as they had done already, Jdg_10:9 so that it was base ingratitude in these people to come to fight against Jephthah, who had fought for them, and wrought salvation for them.
Jdg 12:4 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.
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.
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:
the men of Gilead smote Ephraim - had the advantage of them, worsted them, killed many of them, and put the rest to flight:
ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim - what provoked them to fall upon them with the greater fury, and use them the more severely when, they had the better of them, was their reproachful language to them, insulting the Gileadites, who perhaps were chiefly, if not all, of the half tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan, of which Jephthah was, that they were the scum of the house of Joseph, that they had run away from their brethren, and dwelt in a corner of the land by themselves; and were of no account at all among Ephraim and Manasseh, and disclaimed by them both, and not esteemed by either.
ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim - The remonstrances of Jephthah, though reasonable and temperate, were not only ineffectual, but followed by insulting sneers that the Gileadites were reckoned both by the western Manassites and Ephraimites as outcasts--the scum and refuse of their common stock. These words are a contemptuous expression of the Ephraimites concerning the Gileadites, whom they call fugitives of Ephraim; the word Ephraim being here taken largely, as it comprehends the other neighboring tribes, of which Ephraim was the chief; and especially their brethren of Manasseh, who lived next to them, and were descended from the same father, Joseph. By Gileadites here they seem principally to mean the Manassites beyond Jordan, who dwelt in Gilead . And although other Gileadites were joined with them, yet they vent their passion against these; principally, because they envied them most; as having had a chief hand in the victory. These they opprobriously call fugitives, that is, such as had deserted their brethren of Ephraim and Manasseh, planted themselves beyond Jordan , at a distance from their brethren, and were alienated in affection from them.
Jdg 12:5 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;
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:
Jdg 12:6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.
Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth - The original differs only in the first letter ס samech, instead of ש sheen. This is a curious instance of dialectic difference of pronunciation between the East and West Jordanic tribes. It is an evidence of the sound “sh” having passed into the Hebrew from the East of Jordan, possibly from the Arabians, with whom the sound is common.
Forty-two thousand - The number includes the slain in battle and those killed at the fords.
For he could not frame to pronounce it right - Though the Ephraimites had not a different dialect, they had, it appears, a different pronunciation. This was a sufficient test to find out an Ephraimite; and he who spoke not as he was commanded, at the fords of Jordan , spoke against his own life.
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: 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.
Jdg 12:7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
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.
And Jephthah judged Israel six years - though possibly only the tribes on the east of the Jordan .
Jdg 12:8 And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel - There were two Bethlehems, one in the tribe of Zebulun, Jos_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. Josephus says 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 are of opinion that he is the same with Ibzan.
Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel - Of these three judges no particular deeds are related, just as in the case of Tola and Jair. But it certainly follows that they were one after another successors of Jephthah, and therefore that their office of judge also extended simply over the tribes on the east of the Jordan, and perhaps the northern tribes on this side.
Jdg 12:9 And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.
And he had thirty sons and thirty daughters - Which was a very uncommon case for a man to have so many children, and those as to their sex to be equal. Between the former judge and him there was a great difference, in respect of this circumstance of children; he had but one daughter, an only child; and she, by reason of his vow, not suffered to marry.
Jdg 12:10 Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.
Then died Ibzan - He died at the end of his seven years of government, and was buried in his native place; nothing memorable having happened during his being judge; this is all that is recorded of him.
Jdg 12:11 And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.
Elon a Zebulonite judged Israel - The tribe of Zebulon had shown its bravery, patriotism, and prowess in the time of Barak Jdg_4:10; Jdg_5:18.
Jdg 12:12 And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.
was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun - which is added to distinguish it from another Aijalon in the tribe of Dan Jdg_1:35.
Jdg 12:13 And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.
A Pirathonite - So called from Pirathon, where he was born, and which was in the tribe of Ephraim on the mountains of the Amalekites, as appears from Jdg_12:15. He was, therefore, an Ephraimite 1Ch_27:14. It is mentioned in 2Sa_23:30 and 1Ch_11:31 as the home of Benaiah the hero.
Jdg 12:14 And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
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.
that rode on seventy ass colts - who were either employed by him to ride about on these animals, which in those times were honorable; Jdg_5:10 to administer justice throughout the nation in their circuits; or rather, not following any trade, or being concerned in husbandry, or feeding cattle, but being men of estates, rode about like gentlemen.
Jdg 12:15 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.
