Judges 12 5

Judges 12:5 kjv

And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;

Judges 12:5 nkjv

The Gileadites seized the fords of the Jordan before the Ephraimites arrived. And when any Ephraimite who escaped said, "Let me cross over," the men of Gilead would say to him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he said, "No,"

Judges 12:5 niv

The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a survivor of Ephraim said, "Let me cross over," the men of Gilead asked him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he replied, "No,"

Judges 12:5 esv

And the Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. And when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, "Let me go over," the men of Gilead said to him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" When he said, "No,"

Judges 12:5 nlt

Jephthah captured the shallow crossings of the Jordan River, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim tried to go back across, the men of Gilead would challenge him. "Are you a member of the tribe of Ephraim?" they would ask. If the man said, "No, I'm not,"

Judges 12 verses

Judges 12 5 Meaning

Judges 12:5 describes a pivotal moment during the intense civil conflict between the Gileadites and the tribe of Ephraim. Following their defeat, Ephraimite fugitives sought to escape across the Jordan River back to their territory. At the fords of the Jordan, the men of Gilead, strategically positioned to intercept them, would initiate an interrogation. The verse details the exchange: when a fugitive would request passage, the Gileadite guards would immediately challenge him with the question, "Are you an Ephraimite?" This was the crucial preliminary step to identifying the fleeing enemy, setting the stage for the notorious Shibboleth test detailed in the following verse.

Judges 12 5 Context

Judges chapter 12 follows Jephthah's victory over the Ammonites, achieved with divine help. Immediately after this triumph, the proud and often arrogant tribe of Ephraim challenged Jephthah. They questioned why they had not been called upon to fight alongside Gilead, threatening to burn Jephthah's house down (Judg 12:1). Jephthah recounted his earlier appeals to Ephraim for help and their refusal (Judg 12:2-3). This accusation escalated into a full-blown civil war between the Gileadites and the Ephraimites. The Gileadites, fueled by deep-seated resentment against Ephraim's overbearing attitude, decisively defeated the Ephraimites, seizing control of the strategic fords of the Jordan River. Verse 5 describes the methodical process implemented by the victorious Gileadites at these river crossings to intercept and identify any remaining Ephraimite fugitives attempting to flee westward back to their homeland. This immediate context leads directly into the well-known "Shibboleth" test of verse 6. The broader historical context is the turbulent period of the Judges, marked by inter-tribal strife and a general lack of centralized authority, often leading to tragic outcomes for Israel.

Judges 12 5 Word analysis

• וַיְהִי (vayhi): "And it happened" or "And it was". This is a common Hebrew narrative device that signifies the start of a new action or event within an ongoing story. It connects this detail seamlessly to the preceding conflict, emphasizing its chronological place in the narrative flow.
• כִּי יֹאמְרוּ (ki yom'ru): "when they would say". The "כִּי" (ki) means "when" or "that". The imperfect verb "יֹאמְרוּ" (yom'ru) indicates a continuous, habitual, or repeated action, signifying that this was a routine procedure at the fords for every fugitive caught.
• פְּלִיטֵי (p'liṭei): "fugitives of", "escaped ones of". Derived from the root "פָּלַט" (palat), meaning "to escape" or "to deliver". This word clearly depicts the state of the Ephraimite men: defeated, fleeing for their lives, and desperately seeking to evade capture. It conveys their vulnerability and the intensity of the pursuit.
• אֶפְרַיִם (efrayim): "Ephraim". The name of one of the largest and most influential tribes of Israel. Their prominence often led to arrogance and contention, as seen here and in Judges 8. In this context, "Ephraim" signifies the tribal enemy against whom the Gileadites held deep grudges, culminating in this merciless pursuit.
• אֶעְבּוֹר (e'ebor): "Let me cross over", "I will pass through". This word is from "עָבַר" (avar), "to pass over", "to cross". It represents the urgent plea or declaration of the fugitives seeking safe passage across the Jordan River. It pinpoints their immediate objective: to escape the immediate danger and reach the presumed safety of their home territory on the western side.
• וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ (vayyomer lo): "And he said to him". This marks the direct initiation of the interrogation by the Gileadite guard. The singular form implies a one-on-one confrontation at the river crossing.
• אִישׁ גִּלְעָדִי (ish gil'adi): "a man of Gilead", "a Gileadite man". "אִישׁ" (ish) means "man". This identifies the interrogator as belonging to the victorious faction, the inhabitants of Gilead, who now controlled the access points. It highlights their authority and intent in this deadly pursuit.
• הַאֶפְרָתִי אַתָּה (ha'efrati attah): "Are you an Ephraimite?". This is the direct, accusatory question, forming the heart of the verse. The interrogative prefix "הַ" (ha-) transforms the statement into a question. "אֶפְרָתִי" (ephrati) is the adjectival form of Ephraim, denoting someone from Ephraim. "אַתָּה" (attah) means "you" (masculine singular). This question serves as the initial identification test, implying that claiming otherwise would lead to further scrutiny and ultimately the "Shibboleth" test.

• "fugitives of Ephraim" (פְּלִיטֵי אֶפְרַיִם): This phrase highlights the outcome of the battle: Ephraim's defeat and dispersal. They are no longer a proud, aggressive army but broken, desperate individuals fleeing for their lives. Their status as "fugitives" underlines their vulnerable position and the Gileadites' complete dominance.
• "Let me cross over" (אֶעְבּוֹר): This plea reveals the dire circumstances of the Ephraimites. Their singular focus is survival through escape. It also specifies the setting as the Jordan fords, making clear the strategic choke points where the Gileadites trapped them.
• "the men of Gilead... Are you an Ephraimite?" (אִישׁ גִּלְעָדִי הַאֶפְרָתִי אַתָּה): This combination encapsulates the Gileadites' cunning strategy and deep animosity. It's a direct challenge meant to expose and identify the enemy through verbal interaction, laying the groundwork for the phonetic test. This was a systematic process, not just random acts of violence.

Judges 12 5 Bonus section

The full Hebrew text of Judges 12:5 is longer than most English translations indicate. After "Are you an Ephraimite?" (הַאֶפְרָתִי אַתָּה), it continues with "וְאִם־לֹא אָמַר תֹּאמְרוּ־הַאֶפְרָתִ֥י אַתָּה" (wə'im-lo amar toməru ha'efrati atah), which literally translates to "And if he said 'No,' you would say 'Are you an Ephraimite?'" This extended phrase likely emphasizes the Gileadites' persistence or their follow-up action when a fugitive denied being an Ephraimite, forcing a second, more pressing affirmation, or indicating the next step of the interrogation. This reinforces that the question was a direct challenge meant to elicit either a truthful (and fatal) admission or a deceptive (and equally fatal upon discovery) denial, leading directly to the Shibboleth test detailed in verse 6. This verse provides unique historical insight into the existence of distinct regional dialects within ancient Israel, demonstrating that speech patterns were so pronounced that they could betray a person's origin and prove fatal in times of conflict.

Judges 12 5 Commentary

Judges 12:5 succinctly captures a grim phase of the devastating civil war between Gilead and Ephraim, a chilling illustration of inter-tribal hatred and the merciless consequences of internal strife within Israel. The verse unveils the systematic, almost bureaucratic, approach the Gileadites took to eliminate their defeated enemies at the Jordan fords. The Ephraimite fugitives, no longer haughty aggressors but desperate individuals, sought only passage to safety, yet their request was met with a pointed, life-or-death question. This direct inquiry, "Are you an Ephraimite?", served as the initial screen, born from the deep-seated resentment and animosity Gilead harbored towards Ephraim's recurring arrogance and recent belligerence. It demonstrates the vigilance and cold calculation of the victors, who left no avenue for escape. This single verse sets the stage for one of the Bible's most distinct, brutal, and historically revealing tests of identity, where a mere dialectal difference meant the difference between life and death for 42,000 Ephraimites as elaborated in the subsequent verse.