Judges 12:4-6

4 Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, ¹“You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim and Manasseh. ”

5 And the Gileadites captured ²the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. And when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me go over, ” the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite? ” When he said, “No, ”

6 they said to him, “Then say Shibboleth, ” and he said, “Sibboleth, ” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and slaughtered him at ³the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 of the Ephraimites fell.

Judges 12:4-6 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.

Cross References

• 1. 12:4 [1 Sam. 25:10]
• 2. 12:5 See ch. 3:28
• 3. 12:6 [See ver. 5 above]