Judges 12:3-13

3 And I saw that thou wert no helper, and I put my life in my hand, and passed on to the sons of Ammon; and the Lord delivered them into my hand: and wherefore are ye come up against me this day to fight with me?

4 And Jephthae gathered all the men of Galaad, and fought with Ephraim; and the men of Galaad smote Ephraim, because they that were escaped of Ephraim said, Ye of Galaad in the midst of Ephraim and in the midst of Manasse.

5 And Galaad took the fords of Jordan before Ephraim; and they that escaped of Ephraim said to them, Let us go over: and the men of Galaad said, Art thou an Ephrathite? and he said, No.

6 Then they said to him, Say now Stachys; and he did not rightly pronounce it so: and they took him, and slew him at the fords of Jordan; and there fell at that time of Ephraim two and forty thousand.

7 And Jephthae judged Israel six years; and Jephthae the Galaadite died, and was buried in his city Galaad.

8 And after him Abaissan of Bethleem judged Israel.

9 And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent forth; and he brought in thirty daughters for his sons from without; and he judged Israel seven years.

10 And Abaissan died, and was buried in Bethleem.

11 And after him Aelom of Zabulon judged Israel ten years.

12 And Aelom of Zabulon died, and was buried in Aelom in the land of Zabulon.

13 And after him Abdon the son of Ellel, the Pharathonite, judged Israel.

Judges 12:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. art.
• [b]. saviour or deliverer.
• [c]. watchword.