Judges 12:1

Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!”

² But Jephthah replied, “My people and I had a serious conflict with the Ammonites, and when I called, you did not save me out of their hands.

³ When I saw that you would not save me, I risked my life and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come today to fight against me?”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!”
KJV: And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.
WEB: The men of Ephraim were gathered together, and passed northward; and they said to Jephthah, “Why did you pass over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didn’t call us to go with you? We will burn your house around you with fire!”
ASV: And the men of Ephraim were gathered together, and passed northward; and they said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thy house upon thee with fire.
DARBY: And the men of Ephraim were called together, and passed over northwards, and said to Jephthah, Why didst thou pass over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? We will burn thy house upon thee with fire.
BLB: And the men of Ephraim gathered together and passed over toward Zaphon, and they said to Jephthah, “Why did you pass over to fight against the sons of Ammon and did not call us to go with you? Your house we will burn down over you with the fire.”

ÅB: Efra'ims menn ble kalt til våpen og dro mot nord; og de sa til Jefta: Hvorfor sendte du ikke bud etter oss da du dro avsted for å stride mot Ammons barn? Nå vil vi sette ild på huset du bor i.
OTB: Efraims menn ble kalt ut, og de dro over til Safon. De sa til Jefta: «Hvorfor dro du for å kjempe mot ammonittene uten å invitere oss til å gå med deg? Vi vil brenne huset ditt ned over deg!»
B1930: Efra'ims menn blev kalt til våben og drog mot nord; og de sa til Jefta: Hvorfor sendte du ikke bud efter oss da du drog avsted for å stride mot Ammons barn? Nu vil vi sette ild på huset du bor i.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Judges 8:1
Then the men of Ephraim said to Gideon, “Why have you done this to us? Why did you fail to call us when you went to fight against Midian?” And they contended with him violently.
Read in context
John 10:32
But Jesus responded, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone Me?”
Read in context
James 3:16
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice.
Read in context
James 4:1–2
What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you?
Read in context
Judges 14:15
So on the fourth day they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s household to death. Did you invite us here to rob us?”
Read in context
Psalms 109:4
In return for my love they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.
Read in context
2 Samuel 19:41–43
Soon all the men of Israel came to the king and asked, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, take you away secretly and bring the king and his household across the Jordan, together with all of David’s men?”
Read in context
Judges 15:6
“Who did this?” the Philistines demanded. “It was Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite,” they were told. “For his wife was given to his companion.” So the Philistines went up and burned her and her father to death.
Read in context