Now Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, “You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, “You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the middle of Ephraim, and in the middle of Manasseh.”
- KJV Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.
- BSB Jephthah then gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim, living in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh.”
- NASB Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought Ephraim; and the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, “You are survivors of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim and in the midst of Manasseh.”
- NLT The people of Ephraim responded, “You men of Gilead are nothing more than fugitives from Ephraim and Manasseh.” So Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and attacked the men of Ephraim and defeated them.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jephthah gathers Gilead and fights Ephraim, who had insulted the Gileadites as mere fugitives. Insult escalates into battle.
Overview
Ephraim's contemptuous taunt provokes open warfare between brother tribes. This intra-Israelite bloodshed is among the saddest fruits of the period's lawlessness. It shows how unchecked pride and division lead God's people to destroy one another, underscoring their desperate need for true unity under God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Prov 12:13An evil man is trapped by sinfulness of lips, but the righteous shall come out of trouble.
- 1 Sam 25:10Nabal answered David’s servants, and said, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants who break away from their masters these days.
- Deut 3:12–17This land we took in possession at that time: from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, and half the hill country of Gilead, and its cities, gave I to the Reubenites and to the Gadites:
- Ps 78:9The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
- Neh 4:4“Hear, our God; for we are despised; and turn back their reproach on their own head, give them up for a plunder in a land of captivity;
- Prov 15:1A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
- Num 32:39–40The children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were therein.
- Judg 11:10The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “Yahweh will be witness between us. Surely we will do what you say.”
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Christ at the center
Israel's cycle of sin and rescue through flawed deliverers cries out for a Savior who never fails — the true and final Judge and Deliverer who saves his people not for a season but forever.
How Judges 12:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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