New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Judges 12
1
The men of Ephraim called out their troops. The troops went across the Jordan River to Zaphon. When they arrived, they said to Jephthah, "You went to fight against the Ammonites. Why didn't you ask us to go with you? We're going to burn down your house over your head."
Reference
2
Jephthah answered, "I and my people were taking part in a great struggle. We were at war with the Ammonites. I asked you for help. But you didn't come to save me from their power.
3
I saw that you wouldn't help. So I put my own life in danger. I went across the Jordan to fight against the Ammonites. The Lord helped me win the battle over them. So why have you come up today to fight against me?"
Reference
4
Then Jephthah called the men of Gilead together. They fought against Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck them down. The people of Ephraim had said, "You people of Gilead are nothing but deserters from Ephraim and Manasseh."
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Samuel 25:10
5
The men of Gilead captured the places where people go across the Jordan River to get to Ephraim. Some men of Ephraim weren't killed in the battle. When they arrived at the river, they would say, "Let us go across." Then the men of Gilead would ask each one, "Are you from Ephraim?" Suppose he replied, "No."
Reference
6
Then they would say, "All right. Say 'Shibboleth.' " If he said "Sibboleth," the way he said the word would give him away. He couldn't say it correctly. So they would grab hold of him. Then they would kill him at one of the places where people go across the Jordan. At that time, 42,000 men of Ephraim were killed.
7
Jephthah led Israel for six years. Then he died. His body was buried in a town in Gilead. Jephthah was from the land of Gilead.
9
He had 30 sons and 30 daughters. He gave his daughters to be married to men who were outside his family group. He brought in 30 young women to be married to his sons. Those women also came from outside his family group. Ibzan led Israel for seven years.
10
Then he died. His body was buried in Bethlehem.
11
After Ibzan, Elon led Israel. He was from the tribe of Zebulun. Elon led Israel for ten years.
People
12
Then he died. His body was buried in Aijalon. It was in the land of Zebulun.
14
He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons. They rode on 70 donkeys. He led Israel for eight years.
Reference
15
Then he died. His body was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim. Pirathon was in the hill country of the Amalekites. Abdon was the son of Hillel.
Reference
📍 Pirathon
Parallel theme
Judges 5:14
Summary of Judges 12
Judges chapter 12 picks up the story of Jephthah after he has defeated the Ammonites. However, rather than victory leading to peace, the next conflict breaks out with Jephthah and the men of Ephraim. It turns into a civil war and thousands of Ephraimites are killed. The chapter is a brief recitation of the lives of three more judges, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon.
The chapter opens with the men of Ephraim gathering together and crossing over to the north. They are angry with Jephthah because he went to fight the Ammonites without getting them to join the battle. They threaten to burn Jephthah's house over him.
This is reminiscent of the complaint that Ephraim made against Gideon in Judges chapter 8. Gideon was able to calm the situation by being nice to them, but Jephthah's response is different.
Jephthah tells the Ephraimites that he and his people had been involved in a serious conflict with Ammon. He says that he called for help from Ephraim, but they did not come. Because the help never arrived, Jephthah says that he risked his own life and fought the Ammonites without them.
Jephthah then asks why they have come against him now. This sparks a violent argument and Jephthah gathers the men of Gilead to fight Ephraim.
The Gileadites defeat the Ephraimites. The men of Ephraim then try to escape by crossing the Jordan River and going back to their territory. Jephthah's people take control of the crossings giving them the chance to pick off anyone trying to cross.
When an Ephraimite comes to cross, Jephthah's men ask him whether he is an Ephraimite or not. If they deny being one, they give them a simple test. They tell them to pronounce the word "Shibboleth."
The Ephraimites are unable to pronounce the word in the same way as the Gileadites. Their pronunciation gives them away and they are seized and killed at the Jordan crossings.
The chapter remembers that forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed in the conflict. The large number underlines just how serious the division between the tribes was. Instead of people coming together after defeating an enemy, Israelites are killing other Israelites.
Jephthah judges Israel for six years and after his death he is buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
The chapter races through the lives of three other judges.
Ibzan of Bethlehem judges Israel for seven years. He has thirty sons and thirty daughters. He sends his thirty daughters out of his family to marry and brings thirty women from outside to marry his sons. The passage recounts this large family arrangement as part of the story.
Ibzan dies and is buried at Bethlehem.
After him, Elon the Zebulonite becomes the judge over Israel. Elon judges the nation for ten years. The passage has little else to say about him. After his ten years, he dies and is buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
Abdon son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, takes over from Elon as the judge. Abdon judges Israel for eight years. He has forty sons and thirty nephews, seventy total, who ride on seventy donkey colts. Like with Jair, the large family and the donkeys show that Abdon's family held a position of influence and status.
Abdon dies and is buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.
Judges chapter 12 gives a look at how quickly internal disagreements can turn against each other. The conflict with Ephraim begins with a complaint about military help, but it turns into a civil war, with thousands of Israelites being killed. The tragedy is compounded by the fact that the conflict comes after Jephthah's victory over a foreign enemy.
The use of the word "Shibboleth" is one of the best-known parts of the chapter. The difference in pronunciation is used by Jephthah's men to spot Ephraimites trying to cross the Jordan. The incident is an early Bible example of using speech to mark regional or tribal differences.
The chapter is also a brief history of three judges whose stories aren't told in detail. Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon each lead Israel for a period of years, but the text has little to say about their military activity or personal decisions. Their inclusion shows that the time of the judges had many years and many leaders. They aren't the only ones who mattered, along with Deborah, Gideon, and Jephthah.
The chapter ends without going on to another major enemy or crisis. After Jephthah's violent conflict with Ephraim, Israel goes through the less eventful years of Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon. Yet the pattern of the book continues. Israel moves from one judge to another and the nation needs faithful leadership as it moves towards the next crisis.
The chapter opens with the men of Ephraim gathering together and crossing over to the north. They are angry with Jephthah because he went to fight the Ammonites without getting them to join the battle. They threaten to burn Jephthah's house over him.
This is reminiscent of the complaint that Ephraim made against Gideon in Judges chapter 8. Gideon was able to calm the situation by being nice to them, but Jephthah's response is different.
Jephthah tells the Ephraimites that he and his people had been involved in a serious conflict with Ammon. He says that he called for help from Ephraim, but they did not come. Because the help never arrived, Jephthah says that he risked his own life and fought the Ammonites without them.
Jephthah then asks why they have come against him now. This sparks a violent argument and Jephthah gathers the men of Gilead to fight Ephraim.
The Gileadites defeat the Ephraimites. The men of Ephraim then try to escape by crossing the Jordan River and going back to their territory. Jephthah's people take control of the crossings giving them the chance to pick off anyone trying to cross.
When an Ephraimite comes to cross, Jephthah's men ask him whether he is an Ephraimite or not. If they deny being one, they give them a simple test. They tell them to pronounce the word "Shibboleth."
The Ephraimites are unable to pronounce the word in the same way as the Gileadites. Their pronunciation gives them away and they are seized and killed at the Jordan crossings.
The chapter remembers that forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed in the conflict. The large number underlines just how serious the division between the tribes was. Instead of people coming together after defeating an enemy, Israelites are killing other Israelites.
Jephthah judges Israel for six years and after his death he is buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
The chapter races through the lives of three other judges.
Ibzan of Bethlehem judges Israel for seven years. He has thirty sons and thirty daughters. He sends his thirty daughters out of his family to marry and brings thirty women from outside to marry his sons. The passage recounts this large family arrangement as part of the story.
Ibzan dies and is buried at Bethlehem.
After him, Elon the Zebulonite becomes the judge over Israel. Elon judges the nation for ten years. The passage has little else to say about him. After his ten years, he dies and is buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
Abdon son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, takes over from Elon as the judge. Abdon judges Israel for eight years. He has forty sons and thirty nephews, seventy total, who ride on seventy donkey colts. Like with Jair, the large family and the donkeys show that Abdon's family held a position of influence and status.
Abdon dies and is buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.
Judges chapter 12 gives a look at how quickly internal disagreements can turn against each other. The conflict with Ephraim begins with a complaint about military help, but it turns into a civil war, with thousands of Israelites being killed. The tragedy is compounded by the fact that the conflict comes after Jephthah's victory over a foreign enemy.
The use of the word "Shibboleth" is one of the best-known parts of the chapter. The difference in pronunciation is used by Jephthah's men to spot Ephraimites trying to cross the Jordan. The incident is an early Bible example of using speech to mark regional or tribal differences.
The chapter is also a brief history of three judges whose stories aren't told in detail. Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon each lead Israel for a period of years, but the text has little to say about their military activity or personal decisions. Their inclusion shows that the time of the judges had many years and many leaders. They aren't the only ones who mattered, along with Deborah, Gideon, and Jephthah.
The chapter ends without going on to another major enemy or crisis. After Jephthah's violent conflict with Ephraim, Israel goes through the less eventful years of Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon. Yet the pattern of the book continues. Israel moves from one judge to another and the nation needs faithful leadership as it moves towards the next crisis.