Judges 12:1-4

Jephthah and Ephraim

1 The Ephraimite forces were called out, and they crossed over to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We’re going to burn down your house over your head.”

2 Jephthah answered, “I and my people were engaged in a great struggle with the Ammonites, and although I called, you didn’t save me out of their hands.

3 When I saw that you wouldn’t help, I took my life in my hands and crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave me the victory over them. Now why have you come up today to fight me?”

4 Jephthah then called together the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. The Gileadites struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are renegades from Ephraim and Manasseh.”

Judges 12:1-4 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. S Joshua 13:27
• 2. S Judges 11:1
• 3. Judges 8:1
• 4. S Judges 9:17; 1 Samuel 19:5; 1 Samuel 28:21; Job 13:14
• 5. S Deuteronomy 20:4
• 6. 1 Kings 17:1
• 7. S Genesis 46:20; Isaiah 9:21; Isaiah 19:2