Shofetim 12

1 2 And the ish Ephrayim gathered themselves together, and went into Tzafon, and said unto Yiftach, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the Bnei Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? We will burn thine bais upon thee with eish.

2 And Yiftach said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the Bnei Ammon; and when I called you, ye saved me not out of their hands.

3 And when I saw that you were not my moshi’a, I put my nefesh in my hands, and passed over against the Bnei Ammon, and Hashem delivered them into my yad; why then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

4 Then Yiftach gathered together all the Anshei Gil‘ad, and fought with Ephrayim; and the anshei Gil‘ad struck down Ephrayim, because they said, Ye Gilead are fugitives of Ephrayim among the Ephrayim, and among the Menasheh.

5 And the Gilead took the fords of the Yarden before the Ephrayim; and it was so, that when those Ephrayim which were escaped said, Let me cross over; that the anshei Gil‘ad said unto him, Art thou an Ephrati? If he said, No,

6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibbolet; and he said Sibbolet, for he could not pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slaughtered him at the fords of the Yarden; and there fell at that time of the Ephrayim forty and two thousand.

7 And Yiftach judged Yisroel shesh shanim. Then died Yiftach the Gileadi, and was buried in one of the towns of Gil‘ad.

8 And after him Ibtzan of Beit-Lechem judged Yisroel.

9 And he had shloshim banim, and shloshim banot, whom he gave away in marriage outside [his eleph], and took in sloshim banot from outside for his banim. And he judged Yisroel shevat shanim.

10 Then died Ibtzan, and was buried at Beit-Lechem.

11 And after him Elon, a Zevuloni, judged Yisroel; and he judged Yisroel eser shanim.

12 And Elon the Zevuloni died, and was buried in Ayalon in Eretz Zevulun.

13 And after him Avdon ben Hillel, a Piratoni, judged Yisroel.

14 And he had arba’im banim and thirty grandsons, that rode on threescore and ten donkeys; and he judged Yisroel shmoneh shanim.

15 And Avdon ben Hillel the Piratoni died, and was buried in Piraton in Eretz Ephrayim, in the har HaAmaleki.

Shofetim 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.