Judges 12:4-6

4 Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, ¹"You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim and Manasseh."

5 And the Gileadites captured ²the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. And when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, "Let me go over," the men of Gilead said to him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" When he said, "No,"

6 they said to him, "Then say Shibboleth," and he said, "Sibboleth," for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and slaughtered him at ³the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 of the Ephraimites fell.

Judges 12:4-6 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. [1 Samuel 25:10]
• 2. See Judges 3:28
• 3. [See ver. 5 above]