Judges 12:7

_AND JEPHTHAH JUDGED ISRAEL SIX YEARS. THEN DIED JEPHTHAH THE GILEADITE, AND WAS BURIED IN ONE OF THE CITIES OF GILEAD._ Jephthah ... died. After a government of six years this 'mighty man of valour died;' and however difficult it may be for us to understand some passages in his history, he has been ranked by apostolic authority among the worthies of the ancient Church. He was followed by a succession of minor judges, of whom the only memorials preserved relate to the number of their families and their state....

1-7 The Ephraimites had the same quarrel with Jephthah as with Gideon. Pride was at the bottom of the quarrel; only by that comes contention. It is ill to fasten names of reproach upon persons or countries, as is common, especially upon those under outward disadvantages. It often occasions quarrels that prove of ill consequence, as it did here. No contentions are so bitter as those between brethren or rivals for honour. What need we have to watch and pray against evil tempers! May the Lord incline all his people to follow after things which make for peace!...

EXPOSITION JUDGES 12:1 NORTHWARD, or, otherwise rendered, to _Zaphon_,_ _a city of the Gadites mentioned in Joshua 13:27 together with Succoth, and thought to be _the modern_,_ Amateh _on the Wady Rajlb (see Vanderveld's map). It is difficult to say with certainty which rendering is right, but on the whole the latter seems most probable. Although Gilead does lie north-east of Ephraim, it hardly seems a natural description of the Ephraimite movement to say they "went northwards;" whereas if they marched to Zaphon the phrase would be precise. The previous phrase, GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER, means _mustered for battle_,_ _as in...

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 w says it was in his own country, Sebee, a city of Gilead. w Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7. sect. 12....

CHAPTER 12 THE STRIFE--JEPHTHAH'S DEATH--THE OTHER JUDGES _ 1. The strife and the slaying of the Ephraimites (Judges 12:1)_ 2. Jephthah's death (Judges 12:7) 3. Ibzan, Elon and Abdon (Judges 12:8) The strife of Ephraim and their question reminds us of what happens under the judgeship of Gideon. There the soft answer turned away wrath. How different it is here. Jephthah in self exaltation shows a far different spirit. Notice the “I” in his answer. “I was at great strife”--”I and my people”--”I called you”--”I saw”--”I put my life in my hand.” A great strife follows. The Gileadites take the fords of Jordan and those who said “Sibboleth” were slain. Horrible record! Forty-two thousand Ephraimites were

JUDGED. First, deliverance; then rule. BURIED IN ONE OF THE CITIES. City unnamed. Memory not honoured, though mentioned in Hebrews 11:32. yet the last name in that list....

Judges 12:1-7. _Jephthah's conflict with the men of Ephraim_ A sequel of the Ammonite war. Jephthah had returned to his house (Judges 11:34), two months at least had passed (Judges 11:39), the Gileadite forces had dispersed (implied by Judges 12:4), when the arrogant and jealous temper of the Ephraimites broke out, as formerly after Gideon's victory (Judges 8:1-3), but this time without a shadow of pretext. The narrative Judges 11:1 has been regarded as a mere replica of...

IN ONE OF THE CITIES OF GILEAD— In the Hebrew it is, _in the cities of Gilead,_ which has given rise to a thousand ridiculous rabbinical fables. Houbigant well remarks, that all the ancient versions read, _In the city of_ _Gilead._ It is the Chaldee alone that reads, _In the cities._ He observes, that the phrase, _whom he sent abroad,_ Joshua 12:9 expresses the giving these daughters in matrimony. We are to remember, that a numerous issue was considered as a peculiar blessing of Providence; and where many wives were permitted, such a number of children will not appear improbable. REFLECTIONS.—No sooner is Jephthah delivered from foreign enemies than he is disturbed by domestic feuds. 1. The men of Ephraim, jealous of the honour that Manasseh had got, seek occasion to quarrel with him, as they had before done with Gideon, under pretence of bein

THE EPHRAIMITES QUARREL WITH JEPHTHAH. HIS DEATH 1-6. Jephthah and Ephraim. Once more the members of the leading tribe find themselves left out of the victory, and complain: cp. Judges 8:1; Jephthah deals with them differently from Gideon....

LIFE WITHOUT LAW JUDGES _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 12 V1 The men from Ephraim’s *tribe called out their army. And they went over the river to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, ‘You went to fight against the army from Ammon. But you did not call us to go with you. So, we intend to burn down your house while you are inside it.’ V2 Jephthah replied, ‘My people and I had a great struggle with the army from Ammon. I asked you to help, but you did not come. V3 I saw that you did not intend to help. I risked my life and I fought against them. God gave me success. But you have come today to fight against me.’ V4 He called the men from Gilead. And he fought against the men from Ephraim’s *tribe. The men