Judges 12:7

7 Jephthah judged Israel for six years. Then Jephthah of Gilead died and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

Judges 12:7 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 12:7

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; being perhaps depressed and worn away with grief, on account of his daughter, and other troubles that attended him:

then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities
of Gilead:
it is not said in what city he was buried, but very probably it was in his own city Mizpeh, where he dwelt. Josephus ^F23 says it was in his own country, Sebee, a city of Gilead.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F23 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7. sect. 12.

Judges 12:7 In-Context

5 The men of Gilead captured the shallow crossings of the Jordan River leading back to Ephraim. Whenever a fugitive from Ephraim said, "Let me cross," the men of Gilead would ask, "Are you from Ephraim?" If he answered, "No,"

6 they would tell him, "Say the word shibboleth." If the fugitive would say sibboleth, because he couldn't pronounce the word correctly, they would grab him and kill him at the shallow crossings of the Jordan River. At that time 42,000 men from Ephraim died.

7 Jephthah judged Israel for six years. Then Jephthah of Gilead died and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

8 After Jephthah, Ibzan from Bethlehem judged Israel.

9 He had 30 sons and 30 daughters. His sons and daughters married people from outside their own families. He judged Israel for seven years.