Shìshījì 12

1 Yǐfǎlián rén jùjí , dào le bĕi fāng , duì Yēfútā shuō , nǐ qù yǔ Yàmén rén zhēng zhàn , wèishénme méiyǒu zhāo wǒmen tóng qù ne . wǒmen bì yòng huǒshào nǐ hé nǐde fángwū .

2 Yēfútā duì tāmen shuō , wǒ hé wǒde mín yǔ Yàmén rén dàdà zhēng zhàn . wǒ zhāo nǐmen lái , nǐmen jìng méiyǒu lái jiù wǒ tuōlí tāmende shǒu .

3 Wǒ jiàn nǐmen bù lái jiù wǒ , wǒ jiù pīn méng qián qù gōngjī Yàmén rén , Yēhéhuá jiāng tāmen jiāo zaì wǒ shǒu zhōng . nǐmen jīnrì wèishénme shàng wǒ zhèlǐ lái gōngdǎ wǒ ne .

4 Yúshì Yēfútā zhāo jù Jīliè rén , yǔ Yǐfǎlián rén zhēng zhàn . Jīliè rén jī shā Yǐfǎlián rén , shì yīn tāmen shuō , nǐmen Jīliè rén zaì Yǐfǎlián , Mǎnáxī zhōngjiān , bú guō shì Yǐfǎlián taó wáng de rén .

5 Jīliè rén bǎshǒu Yuēdànhé de dùkǒu , bùróng Yǐfǎlián rén guō qù . Yǐfǎlián taó zǒu de rén ruò shuō , róng wǒ guō qù . Jīliè rén jiù wèn tā shuō , nǐ shì Yǐfǎlián rén bú shì . tā ruò shuō , bú shì ,

6 Jiù duì tā shuō , nǐ shuō shì bō liè . . Yǐfǎlián rén yīnwei yǎo bù zhēn zì yīn , biàn shuō xī bō liè . Jīliè rén jiù jiāng tā ná zhù , shā zaì Yuēdànhé de dùkǒu . nàshí Yǐfǎlián rén beì shā de yǒu sì wàn èr qiā rén .

7 Yēfútā zuò Yǐsèliè de shì shī liù nián . Jīliè rén Yēfútā sǐ le , zàng zaì Jīliè de yī zuò chéng lǐ .

8 Yēfútā yǐhòu , yǒu Bólìhéng rén yǐ bǐ zàn zuò Yǐsèliè de shì shī .

9 Tā yǒu sān shí gè érzi , sān shí gè nǚér . nǚér dōu jià chū qù le . tā gĕi zhòng zǐ cóng waì xiāng qǔ le sān shí gè xífù . tā zuò Yǐsèliè de shì shī qī nián .

10 Yǐ bǐ zàn sǐ le , zàng zaì Bólìhéng .

11 Yǐ bǐ zàn zhī hòu , yǒu Xībùlún rén Yǐlún , zuò Yǐsèliè de shì shī shí nián .

12 Xībùlún rén Yǐlún sǐ le , zàng zaì Xībùlún dì de Yàyǎlún .

13 Yǐlún zhī hòu , yǒu Bǐlā dùn rén xī liè de érzi yē dùn zuò Yǐsèliè de shì shī .

14 Tā yǒu sì shí gè érzi , sān shí gè sūnzi , qí zhe qī shí pǐ lü jū . yē dùn zuò Yǐsèliè de shì shī bā nián .

15 Bǐlā dùn rén xī liè de érzi yē dùn sǐ le , zàng zaì Yǐfǎlián dì de Bǐlā dùn , zaì Yàmǎlì rén de shān dì .

Shìshījì 12 Commentary

Chapter 12

Ephraimites quarrel with Jephthah. (1-7) Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon judge Israel. (8-15)

Verses 1-7 The Ephraimites had the same quarrel with Jephthah as with Gideon. Pride was at the bottom of the quarrel; only by that comes contention. It is ill to fasten names of reproach upon persons or countries, as is common, especially upon those under outward disadvantages. It often occasions quarrels that prove of ill consequence, as it did here. No contentions are so bitter as those between brethren or rivals for honour. What need we have to watch and pray against evil tempers! May the Lord incline all his people to follow after things which make for peace!

Verses 8-15 We have here a short account of three more of the judges of Israel. The happiest life of individuals, and the happiest state of society, is that which affords the fewest remarkable events. To live in credit and quiet, to be peacefully useful to those around us, to possess a clear conscience; but, above all, and without which nothing can avail, to enjoy communion with God our Saviour while we live, and to die at peace with God and man, form the substance of all that a wise man can desire.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 12

This chapter relates a quarrel between Jephthah and the Ephraimites, which was fatal to the latter, Jud 12:1-6, the time of Jephthah judging Israel, his death and burial, Jud 12:7 and it briefly makes mention of three more judges of Israel, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon, Jud 11:8-15.