Judges 12 4

Judges 12:4 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.

Judges 12:4 nkjv

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."

Judges 12:4 niv

Jephthah then called together the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. The Gileadites struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, "You Gileadites are renegades from Ephraim and Manasseh."

Judges 12:4 esv

Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, "You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim and Manasseh."

Judges 12:4 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.

Judges 12 verses

Judges 12 4 Meaning

Judges 12:4 describes the outbreak of a civil war between Jephthah and the men of Gilead against the tribe of Ephraim. The conflict was provoked by the Ephraimites, who, in their pride and disdain, insulted the Gileadites by calling them "fugitives of Ephraim," implying they were mere runaways or outcasts who did not legitimately belong within the main Israelite tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. This severe affront to their identity and dignity ignited the battle in which the Gileadites successfully defeated Ephraim.

Judges 12 4 Context

This verse is situated immediately after Jephthah's triumphant victory over the Ammonites in Judges 11. Following this deliverance, the proud tribe of Ephraim, instead of celebrating with their deliverer or acknowledging their own past failure to help, accosted Jephthah for not including them in the initial call to battle. Jephthah logically explained that he had called for assistance and received none, leaving him to fight Ammon alone. Rather than accept his reasonable explanation, the Ephraimites escalated the situation by not only threatening Jephthah but also resorting to deeply insulting language, challenging the very identity and legitimacy of the Gileadites. This contemptuous provocation ignited the tragic civil war between the Transjordanian Gileadites and the powerful western tribe of Ephraim, demonstrating the disunity and self-interest prevalent in the period of the Judges. The events that follow in Judges 12:5-6, the "Shibboleth" test, highlight the immediate consequences and severity of this internal conflict.

Judges 12 4 Word analysis

• Then Jephthah (וַיֶּאֱסֹף יִפְתָּח, wayye'ĕsōf Yiftach):
  • Jephthah (Yiftach): Means "He opens." A Gileadite judge, initially an outcast but raised to lead Israel against the Ammonites. His character here shifts from defending Israel against external foes to leading an internal war against a fellow tribe.
  • gathered together (wayye'ĕsōf): Implies a deliberate assembly of military forces, signaling an offensive posture rather than just defense.
• all the men of Gilead (אִישׁ גִּלְעָד, 'ish Gil'ad):
  • Refers to the fighting men of the Gilead region, primarily from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh who settled east of the Jordan River. Their geographic isolation sometimes led to perceptions of them being distinct or lesser by the tribes west of the Jordan.
• and fought with Ephraim (וַיִּלָּחֶם עִם־אֶפְרָיִם, wayyil·lāḥem ‘im-’Ephrayim):
  • fought (wayyil·lāḥem): Direct military confrontation, indicating this was a full-scale battle, a civil war.
  • Ephraim ('Ephrayim): Meaning "Doubly fruitful." A dominant and often arrogant tribe, descendants of Joseph. Their frequent attempts to assert authority (Judg 8:1) and their territorial pride (Josh 17:15) are recurrent themes.
• And the men of Gilead struck down Ephraim (וַיַּךְ אִישׁ־גִּלְעָד אֶת־אֶפְרַיִם, wayyak 'ish-Gil'ād 'eṯ-'Ephrayim):
  • struck down (wayyak): A strong verb indicating a decisive and crushing defeat, often involving great loss of life.
• because they said (כִּי אָמְרוּ, ki 'āmrū):
  • because (ki): Specifies the reason for the attack. It was not merely Jephthah's response to their challenge, but the highly provocative words used by the Ephraimites.
  • they said ('āmrū): Highlights the verbal nature of the provocation; words instigated this devastating war.
• 'You are Gileadites, fugitives of Ephraim (אַתֶּם גִּלְעָדִים פְּלִיטֵי אֶפְרַיִם, 'attem Gil'ādīm pəlîṭē 'Ephrayim):
  • fugitives (pəlîṭē): From the root pālāṭ (to escape, flee). This is a highly contemptuous term. It implies the Gileadites were merely stragglers, runaways, or those of no social standing or legitimate identity who had fled from Ephraim. It questioned their very belonging and tribal legitimacy within Israel. This insult directly attacked their honor and identity as God's people.
• among Ephraim and among Manasseh' (בְּתוֹךְ אֶפְרַיִם בְּתוֹךְ מְנַשֶּׁה, bəṯōḵ 'Ephrayim bəṯōḵ Mənašše):
  • This phrase clarifies the extent of the insult, implying the Gileadites found in the regions of Ephraim and Manasseh were considered by Ephraim to be illegitimate residents, merely stray remnants. It's an assertion of tribal superiority and an effort to dehumanize the Gileadites, denying them a valid place or lineage. It also could hint at a unique Gileadite accent, setting the stage for the Shibboleth test (v.6), implying "You are not really of Ephraim or Manasseh (west of Jordan), you are just refugees trying to pass." This underscores deep tribal division and disdain.

Judges 12 4 Bonus section

• The profound insult "fugitives of Ephraim" suggests a historical tension or perception of the Transjordanian tribes by their western counterparts, perhaps related to their "different" accent or perceived lack of full participation in the core Israelite community, foreshadowing the Shibboleth test in the following verses.
• This conflict, where a judge leads one Israelite tribe against another, starkly highlights the failure of the central leadership and the covenantal ideal of a unified nation, paving the way for the later desire for a king.
• The incident offers a negative parallel to Gideon's response to Ephraim's initial arrogance in Judges 8:1-3, where Gideon deftly defused the situation with humble words. Jephthah's response, though perhaps provoked by more extreme insults, leads directly to bloodshed.
• The focus on words as the trigger for war emphasizes the biblical teaching on the power of the tongue and the destructive potential of pride and contempt (Prov 18:21, Jas 3:6).

Judges 12 4 Commentary

Judges 12:4 encapsulates the tragic state of Israel during the period of the Judges, where internal divisions, fueled by pride and unbridled anger, replaced unity under God. The verse reveals that the war between Gilead and Ephraim was ignited not merely by strategic disagreement, but by deeply offensive words. Ephraim's characteristically arrogant posture, evident also in their dealings with Gideon (Judg 8), escalated into full-blown contempt. Their accusation that the Gileadites were mere "fugitives of Ephraim" was a profound insult, challenging their very tribal identity, honor, and legitimate place among God's people.

Such a verbal attack was intolerable to the Gileadites, who felt undervalued and marginalized, especially after single-handedly fighting Ammon. Jephthah, previously gracious yet firm, now rallied his forces against this verbal and implied physical aggression from a fellow Israelite tribe. The swift and devastating defeat of Ephraim demonstrates the dangerous consequences of pride and the uncontrolled tongue. This conflict serves as a somber warning against the destructive nature of disunity and verbal abuse within God's people, revealing how readily human pride can supersede covenantal bonds, leading to tragic bloodshed.

• Example for Practical Usage: A family disagreement turning into bitterness due to cutting remarks that undermine a sibling's character or contribution, rather than addressing the actual issue. The passage reminds us of the destructive power of words.
• Example for Practical Usage: Disunity within a church congregation stemming from pride or denigrating labels assigned to certain groups or viewpoints, leading to spiritual "civil war" rather than unity in Christ.