Judges 12:4
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?”
Jephthah then gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim, living in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh.”
5 The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim would say, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he answered, “No,”
6 they told him, “Please say Shibboleth.” If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. So at that time 42,000 Ephraimites were killed.
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
- Jephthah then gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim, living in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh.”
- KJV
- Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.
- WEB
- Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, “You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the middle of Ephraim, and in the middle of Manasseh.”
- ASV
- Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim; and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye are fugitives of Ephraim, ye Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim, [and] in the midst of Manasseh.
- DARBY
- And Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim; and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye, Gilead, ye are fugitives of Ephraim in the midst of Ephraim, [and] in the midst of Manasseh.
- BLB
- And Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, “You⁺ Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim in the midst of Ephraim, in the midst of Manasseh.”
- ÅB
- Deretter samlet Jefta alle Gileads menn og stred imot Efra'im, og Gileads menn slo Efra'im; for de[^1] hadde sagt: Rømlinger fra Efra'im er dere gileaditter midt i Efra'im og midt i Manasse.
- OTB
- Jefta samlet da mennene fra Gilead og kjempet mot Efraim. Gileadittene beseiret Efraim fordi de hadde sagt: «Dere gileaditter er flyktninger midt i Efraim og Manasse.»
- B1930
- Derefter samlet Jefta alle Gileads menn og stred imot Efra'im, og Gileads menn slo Efra'im; for de hadde sagt: Rømlinger fra Efra'im er I gileaditter midt i Efra'im og midt i Manasse. / < efra'imittene.>
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Proverbs 12:13
An evil man is trapped by his rebellious speech, but a righteous man escapes from trouble.
Read in context1 Samuel 25:10
But Nabal asked them, “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants these days are breaking away from their masters.
Read in contextNumbers 32:39–40
The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it, and drove out the Amorites who were there.
Read in contextNehemiah 4:4
Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn back upon their own heads, and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.
Read in contextJudges 11:10
And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The LORD is our witness if we do not do as you say.”
Read in contextDeuteronomy 3:12–17
So at that time we took possession of this land. To the Reubenites and Gadites I gave the land beyond Aroer along the Arnon Valley, and half the hill country of Gilead, along with its cities.
Read in contextPsalms 78:9
The archers of Ephraim turned back on the day of battle.
Read in contextProverbs 15:1
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
Read in context