Judges 12

Judges 12:1

GAthered themselves] Hebr. were called, Being moved with vain-glory, and envying Jephthahs, and the Gileadites victory, and good successe, as they did formerly Gideons, Chap. 8. 1.

North-ward] That is, over Jordan into Gilead, which was on the north of Ephraim, where Jephthah lived.

not call us] They backed their insolencie and ungratitude with a lye; for Jephthah, vers. 2. telleth them, That he had called them to the war, but they would not come.

Judges 12:2

I and my people] That is, the quarrell was between the Ammonite and us, and not between them and you, and yet I called you to our ayd, as being brethren and allies, but you helped us not.

Judges 12:3

I put my life] Hebr. That is, I exposed my life to the danger of death, like a precious jewell carried in the open hand, which is easily snatched away, or a glasse which is apt to fall and be broken. So 1 Samuel 19:5. 28. 21. Job 19:14. Psalms 119:109.

Lord delivered] That is, confirmed my calling by crowning my attempts with victory; and why then do you quarrell against my proceedings, seeing God approveth them?

Judges 12:4

Then Jephthah] That is, when he saw them so obstinate that no words or reasons would satisfie them.

Ye Gileadites are fugitives] That is, the refuse of two tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh, and so a mungll generation out of the mixture of both, as dwelling upon the passages of Jordan, just between those two tribes; and therefore ye ought not to have undertaken a matter of such importance, as this war, without our knowledge, and allowance, you being so base, and we so noble: And by this scornfull reproach and contempt, they incensed the Gileadites to their own ruine.

Judges 12:5

took the passages] To wit, to this end, That none might escape by flight, as the Ephramites had formerly done in the war against the Midianites, Chap. 7. 24.

Judges 12:6

said they unto him] That is, to every man that came to seek for passage over Jordan, that they might discern the Ephramites from those that dwelled beyond Jordan, and might happen at the same time to come and seek for passage.

Sibboleth] That is, a stream, foord, or water-course, a word fit for the present occasion, when they were to passe over, Psalms 69:2. Isaiah 27:12.

and he said Shibboleth] Speaking upon the sudden, according to the dialect of their own countrey, unto which they were accustomed, not suspecting what they intended.

Judges 12:8

Bethlehem] There were two cities of this name, one in Judah called Bethlehem Judah, the other in Zebulun upon its north borders, Joshua 19:15. which it seemeth is meant here.

Judges 12:9

sent abroad] That is, married away unto husbands.

Judges 12:12

in the countrey of Zebulun] Added to distinguish it from other cities called by this name, Ch. 1. 35. 1 Chr. 6. 69. 8. 13.

Judges 12:13

a Pirathonite] Pirathon was a citie westward from Samaria, and Shechem, where Benajah Davids worthy was born, 2 Samuel 23:30.

Judges 12:14

nephews] Heb. sons sons.

asse-colts] See Chap. 5. 10.

Judges 12:15

of the Amalekites] Their own land lay without the limits of Canaan south-east, by the desert Havilah, Exodus 17:8. 1 Samuel 15:7. But some of them it seemeth dwelled in some part of the tribe of Ephraim, till they were destroyed by Saul, 1 Sam. 15. or at least had dwelled there before the conquest of Canaan, and so the mount still retained their name.