Judges 12:7

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.

Judges 12:7 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 12:7

And Jephthah judged Israel six years
After the affair of the Ephraimites, he was acknowledged by all Israel as their judge and supreme governor, but did not live long; being perhaps depressed and worn away with grief, on account of his daughter, and other troubles that attended him:

then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities
of Gilead:
it is not said in what city he was buried, but very probably it was in his own city Mizpeh, where he dwelt. Josephus ^F23 says it was in his own country, Sebee, a city of Gilead.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7. sect. 12.

Judges 12:7 In-Context

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."

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.

8 After Jephthah, Ibzan from Bethlehem led Israel.

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.