Judges 12

Those of Ephraim war against Jephtah without a cause verse 1 &c. and are slain to the number of the two and forty thousand 4 Jephtar dieth 7 after him are judges Ebzan 8 Elon 11 Abdon 13.

1. Then were the men of Ephraim called together and passed over towards the north [understand over Jordan unto the land of Gilead were Jephtar was northward] and they said unto Jephtah why didst thou pass through to the fight against the children of ammon [as they had formerly spoken unto Gideon above chapter 8 on verse 1 but suffered themsemselves at that time to be persecuted but here they out of meer pride and insolence raise an intestine war and shew great ingratitude towards Jephtah to their own damage and detriment] and didst no call us to go with thee?[Jephtah declareth the clean contrary in the following verse] we will burn thine house with thee with fire [others burn thine house over or above thee with fire.]

2. And Jephtah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon, [Heb. I was a man of strife, and my people, and the children of Ammon greatly] and I called you, but ye delivered me not out of their hand. [intimating, that although the Ammonites pretended or claimed not any right to the land of Ephraim, but of Israelites that dwelt in Gilead; yet not withstanding he had called the man of Ephraiom, as beingtheir brethren and confederates, to aid and assist them, but all in vain. Jephtah seeketh first by arguments to move them to desist from taking up arms, as he had before done before to the Ammonites. Concerning the Hebrew phrase, compare 2 Samuel.8.on v.10.]

3. Now when I saw that ye [To wit, Ephraim] delivered (me) not, then I put my soul in my hand, [Heb. palm; that is, I jeoparded my self exceedingly: so 1 Samuel 19. On v.5. & 28.21. Job 13:14. Psalm.119.109. The phrase seemeth to be taken from those that carry some costly and precious, yet very brittle commodity, as glass, or the like, in their hand that are in danger to let it fall, and be broken. Compare above chap.9.17.] and passed throw to the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into mine hand; [confirming my calling, and the equity and justness of this war] wherefore are ye then this day come up unto me? [Seeing ye have no cause at all]

4. And Japhtah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim; for the Gileadites being between Ephraim(and) between Manasseh, [In the Hebrew are the words thus transposed: for they said, ye are fugitives from Ephraim; (namely) the Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim, in the midst of Manasseh; that is, those that dwelt at the ferries of Jordan, between Ephraim and Manasseh: this verse is expounded in the following. Oth. ye Gileadites are Fugitives of Ephraim, among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites: As if those of Ephraim had spoken so scornfully and disdainfully of the Gileadites, or were wont to speak; and that was the cause or occasion of this war, and of their discomfiture: whereof the understanding reader may judge] said, [understand, unto the Ephraimites, whom they knew by their speech, when they, after that Ephraim was conquered and put to flight, thought to escape over Jordan into their own land] ye are fugitives [Heb. properly, such as have escaped, out-run, got sheer away] of Ephraim.

5. For the Gileadites took from the Ephraimites the ferries of Jordan: [As Ephraim by Jephtahs edict had done to the Medianites, Judges.7.24. that they might not escape] and it came to pass, when the fugitives of Ephraim said, let me go over: that the men of Gilead said unto him, [to wit, unto every one of Ephraim that desired to pass over the Jordan] Art thou an Ephratite? [That is, Ephraimite: so 1 Samuel.1.1.] When he said, no:

6. Then they said unto him, say now [to be sure, that he was of no tribe dwelling in Gilead, as Ruebenite, Gadite, or Manassite, who also might come to the ferries to pass over] shibboleth: [that is, a stream, flood, or current: sometimes also an ear of corn. This word they made choice of, because it agreed well with the ferries of Jordan, and the Ephratites without suspition should bewray their speech; as it often happeneth, that one people or nation having one sort of language, yet in one part of the land pronounce divers words and letters, otherwise then they do in another. Compare Matthew.26.73.] but he said Sibbeleth, and could not so utter it right: so they caught him, and slew him at the ferries of Jordan: [Hebrew. Cut his throat, throated him] (so) that there fell at that time of Ephraim, two and fourty thousand.

7. Now Jephtah judged Israel six years: and Jephtah the Gileadites died, and was buried in the cities of Gilead. [That is, one of the cities of the land of Gilead. See the like phrase Genesis.19.20. 2 Chronicles.35.24. And below chapter.18.14. Nehemaih.6.2. Jon.1.5. Matthew.27.44. some conceive, that the chiefest city in Gilead might be thus called, because it might have been divided into sundry parts, each part having a perculiar name, as Jerusalem, Ramathaim, 1 samuel.1.1. And at this day many suchlike great cities are found]

8. And after him Ebzoan of Bethlehem [See Genesis.35.19. There were two cities of that name; one in Judah, where our savior Jesus Christ was born; the other on the northern borders of Zebulon: see Josua.19.15. Which seemeth to be here meant, because the other is commonly called, Bethlehem Juda] judge Israel:

9. And he had thirty sons: and he sent abroad thirty daughters and brought in from abroad thirty daughters for his sons: [i.e. he gave thirty daughters abroad in marriage, and took again thirty from abroad, to be wives for his sons] and he judged Israel seven years.

10. Then Ebzan died, and was buried at Bethlehem.

11. And after him Elon the Zebulonite Judged Israel: and he judged Israel ten years.

12. And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried at Ajalon, in the land of Zebulon. [To distinguish it from another in the land of Dan, above chapter.1.35. It seemeth that there were more cities of this name in other tribes: see 1 Chronicles .6.69. & 8.13. 2 Chronicle.11.10. & 28.18.]

13. And after him Abdon a son of Hillel the Pirhathonite, [From hence was also Benaia, one of Davids worthies, 2 Samuel.23.30. The city Pirhaton lay to westward of Samaria and Sichem, on a high mountain, called, the mountain of the Amalekite, or of the Amalekites] judged Israel.

14. And he had fourty sons, and thirty sons sons, riding seventy ass-colts: [See above chapter.5. on v.10.4.] and he judged Israel eight years.

15. Then Abdon, a son of Hillel the Pirhathonite, died: and he was buried at Pirhathon, in the land of Ephraim, upon the mountain of the Amalekite. [The upper land of the amalekites lay without the borders of Canaan, in the south-east, over against Egypt, by the Red-sea, at the wilderness of Havila; see 1 Samuel.15.7. and compare Exodus.17.8. But it seemeth from this place, that formerly a part also dwelt in Ephraim, or at least fought to settle there]