12:1 The Ephraimites assembled and crossed over to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why did you go and fight with the Ammonites without asking us to go with you? We will burn your house down right over you!”
The Ephraimites were arrogant enough to think that they were the most important tribe of Israel. They were actually a bunch of complainers. First, they complained when Joshua divided the land. Second, Gideon saved them from the Midianites, but they were offended because they were not invited to fight at an earlier date. Third, Jephthah saved them from the Ammonites, but they complained because they were not invited to the battle. They actually crossed the Jordan River, found Jephthah, and threatened to burn down Jephthah’s house with him inside of it. Gideon appeased them. What would Jephthah do?
12:2 Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were entangled in controversy with the Ammonites. I asked for your help, but you did not deliver me from their power.
While messaging the Ammonite king, Jephthah issued a national call of arms. The Ephraimites did not answer the call of arms.
12:3 When I saw that you were not going to help, I risked my life and advanced against the Ammonites, and the Lord handed them over to me. Why have you come up to fight with me today?”
When the Ephraimites refused to answer the call to arms, Jephthah moved without them. Jehovah gave him the victory. The Ephraimites had no right to cross the Jordan River and threaten Jephthah.
12:4 Jephthah assembled all the men of Gilead and they fought with Ephraim. The men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because the Ephraimites insulted them, saying, “You Gileadites are refugees in Ephraim, living within Ephraim’s and Manasseh’s territory.”
The Ephraimites insulted Jephthah and his soldiers by calling them no-name refugees and gang members who were living between two great Jewish tribes (Ephraim and Manasseh). This insult caused a tribal war. The Ephraimites were routed.
12:5 The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan River opposite Ephraim. Whenever an Ephraimite fugitive said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead asked him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,”
After Jephthah and the Gileadites routed the arrogant Ephraimites, then Jephthah’s armies gained control of the crossings of the Jordan River. Notice now that the Ephraimites are the refuges.
12:6 then they said to him, “Say ‘Shibboleth!’” If he said, “Sibboleth” (and could not pronounce the word correctly), they grabbed him and executed him right there at the fords of the Jordan. On that day forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell dead.
As the fleeing Ephraimites attempted to cross the Jordan River to safety in their own tribal land, they met with Jephthah’s guards. If they could not pronounce the “sh” sound, then they were executed. 42,000 Ephraimites were killed that day. They learned their lesson the hard way and never attempted this kind of arrogance again.
12:7 Jephthah led Israel for six years; then he died and was buried in his city in Gilead.
Jephthah judged Israel for six years and then died.
Order Restored
12:8 After him Ibzan of Bethlehem led Israel.
Ibzan means “swift." There were two Bethlehem’s in Israel. One Bethlehem was in Judah and the other was in Zebulun. Since this chapter is not dealing with Judah yet, this was most likely the Bethlehem of Zebulun.
12:9 He had thirty sons. He arranged for thirty of his daughters to be married outside his extended family, and he arranged for thirty young women to be brought from outside as wives for his sons. Ibzan led Israel for seven years;
Ibzan was a polygamist. He allowed his children to marry outside of his own tribe. The purpose was to avoid inter-tribal conflict. This verse shows that tribal identity was passed on through the father and not the mother.
12:10 then he died and was buried in Bethlehem.
Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.
12:11 After him Elon the Zebulunite led Israel for ten years. 12:12 Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
There were no details given about the judgeship of Elon, except that he was a Zebulunite who judged Israel for ten years.
12:13 After him Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite led Israel.
Abdon means “service." In 1 Chronicles 8:23, this family name appears as a Benjamite. The family name of Hillel is mentioned only this one time in Scripture. Hillel would later become a famous rabbi name. The School of Hillel and the School of Shammai will become two important rabbinic schools. The town of Pirathon was in Ephraim, showing that Abdon was an Ephraimite.
12:14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel for eight years.
Abdon was a wealthy polygamist. Nobles and kings rode on donkeys during times of peace. He judged for eight years. During this time, Israel was living in peace and prosperity.
12:15 Then Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.
Abdon died and was buried in Pirathon, which was an Ephraimite city. During this time period, the Amalekites were moving into the hill country.