Jephthah's Clash with Ephraim and the 'Shibboleth'
Judges 12:1-7
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Jud.12.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויצעק: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אפרים: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויעבר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- צפונה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ויאמרו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,pl
- ליפתח: PREP+NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- מדוע: ADV
- עברת: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- להלחם: VERB,hitp,inf
- בבני: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,const
- עמון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ולנו: CONJ+PREP+PRON,1,pl
- לא: PART_NEG
- קראת: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- ללכת: VERB,qal,inf
- עמך: NOUN,m,sg,suff-2m
- ביתך: NOUN,m,sg,abs+2ms
- נשרף: VERB,nifal,perf,3,m,sg
- עליך: PREP+2ms
- באש: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Judg.8:1-3 (verbal): Ephraim again reproaches a victorious leader (Gideon) with the same complaint—'Why did you not call us when you went to fight?'—a near-verbal parallel in form and content.
- Judg.12:3-6 (structural): Immediate continuation of the same incident: the Ephraimites cross the Jordan, are challenged by Jephthah, and the conflict escalates into a deadly confrontation (including the 'Shibboleth' test).
- Josh.22:10-34 (thematic): An intra‑Israelite crisis sparked by an accusation that a group has acted improperly (building an altar/acting without consultation), threatening civil war until the issue is explained and defused—parallel pattern of inter‑tribal accusation and near conflict.
- 2 Sam.19:41-43 (thematic): Post‑crisis dispute between Judah and the northern tribes that produces sharp accusations and the threat of internal breakup—another example of intra‑Israel tribal friction and confrontation over perceived slights.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then an Ephraimite man cried out and crossed over to meet Jephthah. He said to Jephthah, 'Why did you cross over to fight the sons of Ammon and not call us to go with you? We will burn down your house over you with fire.'
- The men of Ephraim cried out and crossed over to the north; they said to Jephthah, "Why did you cross over to fight against the sons of Ammon and not call us to go with you? We will burn your house upon you with fire!"
Jud.12.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יפתח: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- אליהם: PREP,3,m,pl
- איש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ריב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הייתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,sg
- אני: PRON,1,sg
- ועמי: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,suff
- ובני: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,cons
- עמון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מאד: ADV
- ואזעק: CONJ+VERB,qal,impf,1,c,sg
- אתכם: PRT+PRON,2,m,pl
- ולא: CONJ
- הושעתם: VERB,hifil,perf,2,c,pl
- אותי: PRON,1,sg,acc
- מידם: PREP
Parallels
- Judg.8:1-3 (thematic): Gideon rebukes the men of Ephraim for failing to join him and then criticizes their complaint—parallel regional rivalry and a leader’s sharp retort to those who claim lack of participation.
- Judg.11:4-11 (structural): Earlier account of Jephthah’s struggle with the Ammonites and how he became Israel’s commander; provides immediate narrative background for his complaint that others did not assist in that war.
- 1 Sam.17:34-37 (verbal): David appeals to his past deeds (killing a lion and a bear) to justify and explain his fitness for battle—a similar rhetorical strategy of citing prior martial service to rebut critics or justify leadership.
- 1 Sam.12:3 (thematic): Samuel’s rhetorical questions defending his record of service to Israel (’Whom have I defrauded?’) function like Jephthah’s challenge to those who failed to aid him—both use interrogative rebuke to claim moral/leadership standing.
Alternative generated candidates
- Jephthah said to them, 'I was a man of contention; I and my people were in conflict with the sons of Ammon, and I called you, but you did not save me from their hand.'
- Jephthah answered them, "I was a man of strife—my people and I—against the sons of Ammon; I called you, and you did not save me from their hand.
Jud.12.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ואראה: VERB,qal,imperfect,1,com,sg
- כי: CONJ
- אינך: PART_NEG,2,m,sg
- מושיע: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואשימה: VERB,qal,impf,1,sg
- נפשי: NOUN,f,sg,abs+1cs
- בכפי: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs+1,c,sg
- ואעברה: VERB,qal,impf,1,c,sg
- אל: NEG
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- עמון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויתנם: CONJ+VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg,obj:3mp
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- בידי: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,suff1s
- ולמה: CONJ
- עליתם: VERB,qal,perf,2,pl
- אלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- היום: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הזה: DEM,m,sg
- להלחם: VERB,hitp,inf
- בי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
Parallels
- Judges 8:1-3 (structural): A parallel Ephraimite confrontation after a deliverance—same rhetorical complaint (‘why have you come up against me…’) and intra‑tribal tension following a leader’s victory.
- Judges 11:32-33 (thematic): Jephthah’s campaign against the Ammonites culminates in the Lord giving the enemy into Israel’s hand—echoing the claim here that God will deliver the children of Ammon into the speaker’s hand.
- 1 Samuel 17:46 (verbal): David’s declaration to Goliath ('this day the LORD will deliver thee into my hand') shares the wording and theological motif of God handing the enemy over into a warrior’s hand.
- Judges 4:14-15 (thematic): Deborah/Barak’s battle account: the LORD delivers the Canaanite commander into Israel’s power—another instance of God granting victory by ‘giving’ the foe into Israel’s hand, paralleling the present claim of divine deliverance.
Alternative generated candidates
- And I said, 'Since you will not save, I will put my life in my hand and cross over to the sons of Ammon; may the LORD give them into my hand.' Why then have you come up against me today to fight me?
- When I saw that you would not save me, I put my life in my hand and crossed over to the sons of Ammon; and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why have you come up to me today to fight me?"
Jud.12.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויקבץ: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- יפתח: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- כל: DET
- אנשי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- גלעד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וילחם: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- אפרים: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויכו: VERB,qal,yiqtol,3,m,pl
- אנשי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- גלעד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- אפרים: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כי: CONJ
- אמרו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- פליטי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- אפרים: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אתם: PRON,2,m,pl
- גלעד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בתוך: PREP
- אפרים: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בתוך: PREP
- מנשה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Judges 12:1-7 (structural): Immediate context: the full account of Jephthah's conflict with Ephraim, including the cause, battle, and aftermath (same episode as v.4).
- Judges 8:1-3 (verbal): Ephraim's complaint/jealousy of another Israelite leader (Gideon) — similar motif of inter-tribal reproach and rivalry between Ephraim and neighboring groups.
- Judges 19-20 (thematic): Civil war within Israel (Israel vs. Benjamin) — parallels the lethal, internecine tribal conflict and communal breakdown seen in Jephthah's clash with Ephraim.
- Joshua 17:14-18 (thematic): Disputes over territorial allotment involving Ephraim and Manasseh; echoes the territorial/tribal identity tensions implicit in the phrase 'Gilead within Ephraim within Manasseh.'
- 2 Samuel 2-4 (thematic): Factional fighting after Saul's death between supporters of David and Ish-Bosheth — another example of intra-Israel internecine warfare and killing of kinsmen.
Alternative generated candidates
- Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck down Ephraim, for they said, 'You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim, dwelling in Ephraim and in Manasseh.'
- Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck down the Ephraimites, because they said, "You are fugitives of Ephraim; is Gilead within Ephraim, within Manasseh?"
Jud.12.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וילכד: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- גלעד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- מעברות: NOUN,f,pl,constr
- הירדן: NOUN,m,sg,def
- לאפרים: PREP+NOUN,prop,m,pl,abs
- והיה: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- יאמרו: VERB,qal,imprf,3,m,pl
- פליטי: NOUN,m,pl,cst
- אפרים: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אעברה: VERB,qal,imperfect,1,?,sg
- ויאמרו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,pl
- לו: PRON,3,m,sg
- אנשי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- גלעד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- האפרתי: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אתה: PRON,2,m,sg
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- לא: PART_NEG
Parallels
- Judges 12:6 (verbal): Immediate continuation of the episode: the Gileadites use a pronunciation test ('shibboleth') to identify and prevent Ephraimite fugitives from crossing, directly following the exchange in v.5.
- Judges 12:4 (structural): Earlier verse in the same chapter describing the outbreak of hostilities with Ephraim—provides the background accusation and reciprocal violence that make the Gileadites' interrogation in v.5 intelligible.
- Nehemiah 13:23-24 (allusion): Reports that children of mixed marriages were identified by speaking the local (non‑Hebrew) language, using speech as a marker of community identity—parallels the use of pronunciation to distinguish Ephraimites.
- Joshua 22:10-20 (thematic): An inter‑tribal dispute in which Israelite tribes confront and question fellow Israelites about alleged disloyalty; like Judges 12:5, it shows intra‑Israel suspicion and tests of identity/faithfulness.
- Judges 8:1-3 (thematic): Conflict and tension between Ephraim and another Israelite leader (Gideon) after a military campaign—illustrates recurring friction between Ephraim and neighboring tribes that provides wider context for the incident in Judges 12.
Alternative generated candidates
- Gilead seized the fords of the Jordan against Ephraim. Whenever any of the Ephraimites said, 'Let me cross over,' the men of Gilead asked him, 'Are you an Ephraimite?' He would answer, 'No.'
- Gilead seized the fords of the Jordan against Ephraim. Whenever the Ephraimite fugitives said, "Let me cross over," the men of Gilead asked him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" He would answer, "No."
Jud.12.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמרו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,pl
- לו: PRON,3,m,sg
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- נא: PART
- שבלת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- סבלת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ולא: CONJ
- יכין: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- לדבר: INF,qal
- כן: ADV
- ויאחזו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,pl
- אותו: PRON,3,m,sg,obj
- וישחטוהו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,pl
- אל: NEG
- מעברות: NOUN,f,pl,constr
- הירדן: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ויפל: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- בעת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ההיא: DEM,f,sg
- מאפרים: PREP+PROPN,m,sg
- ארבעים: NUM,m,pl
- ושנים: CONJ+NUM,m,pl,abs
- אלף: NUM,m,sg
Parallels
- Judges 12:5 (structural): Immediate context: describes the Gileadites holding the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites, setting the scene for the shibboleth test in v.6 (same episode and location).
- Judges 12:7 (structural): Direct aftermath and resolution of the conflict with Ephraim; continues the narrative consequences of the incident in v.6 (leadership and relations between tribes).
- Nehemiah 13:24 (thematic): Reports Israelites' children speaking the language of surrounding peoples and being identified by their speech — a parallel theme of language as a marker of group identity and grounds for social sanction.
- Acts 2:6–8 (thematic): On Pentecost people recognize one another by native languages; like Judges 12:6, language functions as an immediate index of origin/belonging, enabling identification across groups.
- 1 Corinthians 14:10–11 (thematic): Paul remarks that different languages signal different groups and meanings are unintelligible to outsiders — underscores the biblical idea that speech patterns mark communal boundaries, as in the shibboleth episode.
Alternative generated candidates
- They would then say to him, 'Say Shibboleth.' He would say, 'Sibboleth,' for he could not pronounce it correctly. So they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan; and on that day forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell.
- They said, "Say 'Shibboleth.'" And he said, "Sibboleth," for he could not pronounce it. They seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan; that day forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell.
Jud.12.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וישפט: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- יפתח: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- שש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- שנים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- וימת: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יפתח: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- הגלעדי: ADJ,m,sg,def
- ויקבר: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- בערי: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,const
- גלעד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Judges 8:32 (structural): Same epitaph formula: reports the length of the judge's leadership, his death, and burial (‘Gideon died in a good old age, and was buried in the house of his father’), paralleling Jephthah’s summary.
- Judges 10:1–2 (structural): Tola’s summary uses the identical judicial epitaph language (‘Tola judged Israel twenty and three years; and he died, and was buried in Shamir’), mirroring Jephthah’s death/burial notice.
- Judges 10:3 (structural): Jair’s account likewise follows the same formula (‘Jair judged Israel twenty and two years; and he died, and was buried in Kamon’), another example of the book’s recurring judge‑summary pattern.
- Judges 12:8–12 (verbal): Immediate literary parallels within the same chapter: the brief epitaph statements for Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon employ the same wording (years of judging; death; burial), showing a standardized closing formula for judges.
Alternative generated candidates
- Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in the cities of Gilead.
- Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in the cities of Gilead.
Then the men of Ephraim cried out and crossed over to the fords, and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight the sons of Ammon and not call us to go with you? Why were we not summoned? We will burn your house down with fire!”
Jephthah answered them, “I was a man of contention; it was I and my people who contended with the sons of Ammon. I called you, and you did not deliver me from their hand.”
“And I said, ‘If you will not save me, I will put my life in my hand and cross over to the sons of Ammon’; and the LORD would give them into my hand. Why then have you come up against me this day to fight me?”
Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim, and the men of Gilead struck Ephraim, for they said, “You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim—among Ephraim and among Manasseh.”
Gilead took possession of the fords of the Jordan against Ephraim. And it happened, when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me pass over,” the men of Gilead would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?”
If he said, “No,” they would say, “Say ‘shibboleth.’ ” He would say, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right; so they seized him and struck him down at the fords of the Jordan. That day forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell.
Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried among the cities of Gilead.