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Judges Chapter 12 (GENEVA1599)

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Judges Chapter 12 (GENEVA1599)
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1 And the me of Ephraim gathered themselues together, and went Northwarde, and saide vnto Iphtah, Wherefore wentest thou to fight against the children of Ammon, and diddest not call vs to goe with thee? we will therefore burne thine house vpon thee with fire.

2 And Iphtah said vnto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon, and when I called you, ye deliuered me not out of their handes.

3 So when I sawe that ye deliuered me not, I put my life in mine hands, and went vpon the children of Ammon: so the Lord deliuered them into mine handes. Wherefore then are ye come vpon me nowe to fight against me?

4 Then Iphtah gathered all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are runnagates of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

5 Also the Gileadites tooke the passages of Iorden before the Ephraimites, and when the Ephraimites that were escaped, saide, Let me passe, then the men of Gilead said vnto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay,

6 Then said they vnto him, Say nowe Shibboleth: and he said, Sibboleth: for he could not so pronounce: then they tooke him, and slewe him at the passages of Iorden: and there fel at that time of the Ephraimites two and fourtie thousand.

7 And Iphtah iudged Israel sixe yeere: then dyed Iphtah the Gileadite, and was buryed in one of the cities of Gilead.

8 After him Ibzan of Beth-lehem iudged Israel,

9 Who had thirtie sonnes and thirtie daughters, which he sent out, and tooke in thirtie daughters from abroade for his sonnes. and he iudged Israel seuen yeere.

10 Then Ibzan died, and was buryed at Bethlehem.

11 And after him iudged Israel Elon, a Zebulonite, and he iudged Israel tenne yeere.

12 Then Elon the Zebulonite dyed, and was buryed in Aijalon in the countrey of Zebulun.

13 And after him Abdon the sonne of Hillel the Pirathonite iudged Israel.

14 And he had fourty sonnes and thirtie nephewes that rode on seuentie assecoltes: and he iudged Israel eight yeeres.

15 Then dyed Abdon the sonne of Hillel the Pirathonite, and was buryed in Pirathon, in ye lande of Ephraim, in the Mount of the Amalekites.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens in Judges chapter 12?
A civil conflict breaks out when the Ephraimites accuse Jephthah of excluding them from the fight against Ammon recounted in Judges 11; Jephthah's forces defeat them and use the word 'Shibboleth' to identify and kill fleeing Ephraimites, and the chapter closes with three brief judges: Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon.
What was the 'Shibboleth' test in Judges 12?
Gileadites at the Jordan fords asked suspected Ephraimites to say 'Shibboleth'; because Ephraimites pronounced it 'Sibboleth,' the mispronunciation gave them away and forty-two thousand were killed at the crossing (verses 5-6). Jephthah had defended this fight by recalling that he 'put my life in my hands' against Ammon (verse 3), phrasing later echoed about David in 1 Samuel 19:5.
Who were the judges mentioned after Jephthah in Judges 12?
Ibzan of Bethlehem, Elon the Zebulonite, and Abdon the son of Hillel each judged Israel briefly, with the text noting little more than their family details and burial places (verses 8-15).

Today's Verse

Yonder is the sea, great and wide, Wherein are things creeping innumerable, Both small and great beasts.

Psalms 104:25 | ASV

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