Judges 12 6

Judges 12:6 kjv

Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

Judges 12:6 nkjv

then they would say to him, "Then say, 'Shibboleth'!" And he would say, "Sibboleth," for he could not pronounce it right. Then they would take him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. There fell at that time forty-two thousand Ephraimites.

Judges 12:6 niv

they said, "All right, say 'Shibboleth.'?" If he said, "Sibboleth," because he could not pronounce the word correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed at that time.

Judges 12:6 esv

they said to him, "Then say Shibboleth," and he said, "Sibboleth," for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 of the Ephraimites fell.

Judges 12:6 nlt

they would tell him to say "Shibboleth." If he was from Ephraim, he would say "Sibboleth," because people from Ephraim cannot pronounce the word correctly. Then they would take him and kill him at the shallow crossings of the Jordan. In all, 42,000 Ephraimites were killed at that time.

Judges 12 verses

Judges 12 6 Meaning

Judges 12:6 details the severe consequence of the Ephraimites' failed invasion against Gilead, culminating in a unique linguistic test. As Ephraimite fugitives attempted to cross the Jordan River, Gileadite guards identified them by their inability to correctly pronounce the word "Shibboleth," instead saying "Sibboleth" due to a regional dialect. This phonetic discrepancy served as an irrefutable identifier, leading to their immediate capture and execution, resulting in the slaughter of forty-two thousand Ephraimites at the river crossings. The verse highlights the decisive and devastating outcome of inter-tribal conflict fueled by Ephraim's arrogance and the Gileadites' desperate defense.

Judges 12 6 Context

Judges chapter 12 details the tragic outcome of an inter-tribal conflict between the Gileadites (led by Jephthah) and the arrogant Ephraimites. Following Jephthah's victory over the Ammonites, the Ephraimites confronted him with insolent questioning about why they were not called to battle earlier (Judg 12:1). Despite Jephthah's reasoned explanation and recounting their past unwillingness to help, the Ephraimites insulted the Gileadites, calling them "fugitives of Ephraim among the Manassites" (Judg 12:4). This verbal aggression escalated into open warfare. Jephthah, backed by his Gileadite forces, decisively defeated Ephraim. Judges 12:6 is the climax of this defeat, describing the final, devastating phase of their rout at the strategic Jordan River crossings, where a unique linguistic test was implemented to ensure no Ephraimite escaped judgment. This internal strife highlights the moral and social decline in Israel during the period of the Judges, showcasing disunity, tribal jealousy, and cycles of violence among God's chosen people.

Judges 12 6 Word analysis

• Then: Waw (וּ), serving as a conjunctive consecutive, indicating the immediate result or progression of the previous action—the Ephraimites' flight after defeat.
• said they: Referring to the men of Gilead. Their command was decisive, setting up the ultimate test.
• unto him: Each captured Ephraimite attempting to pass. This shows the individualized nature of the brutal screening.
• Say now: An imperative command, a demand for immediate compliance. It signifies a point of no return.
• 'Shibboleth': (שִׁבֹּלֶת, šibboleṯ)
  • Phonetics: This Hebrew word starts with the "shin" sound (ש). This "sh" sound involves the laminal postalveolar fricative, produced by a particular tongue position in the mouth, distinct from the alveolar fricative "s" sound. The Ephraimites' dialect seemingly lacked this 'shin' sound or they pronounced it as an 's' due to speech patterns.
  • Meanings: šibboleṯ has two primary meanings:
    1. "Ear of grain" (as in Job 24:24) – representing sustenance, ripeness, identification by common harvest.
    2. "Flowing stream" or "current" (as in Psa 69:2, 15) – representing a rushing torrent, boundary, or a path of transit.
  • Significance: The genius of the test lies in its normalcy. It was an everyday word, making it seem innocuous but proving fatal due to an ingrained phonetic difference. It distinguished an insider from an outsider based on subtle, inherent patterns.
• and he said 'Sibboleth': (סִבֹּלֶת, sibboleṯ)
  • Phonetics: The crucial phonetic difference lies in the substitution of the "shin" (ש) sound with the "samekh" (ס) sound. This denotes a regional accent, a natural variation in pronunciation common in different dialects.
  • Implication: This wasn't a matter of willingness but a deep-seated speech habit. The Ephraimite couldn't consciously produce the sound required, making it an unfeigned tell.
• for he could not frame to pronounce it right: Lo' yakīl le'habbēr kēn (לֹא־יָכִין לְהַבֵּר כֵּן). The Hebrew verb yakīl (יכיל) indicates an inability to establish, prepare, or bring forth something in its proper way. It means he lacked the faculty or capacity to make the sound accurately, highlighting a natural, ingrained dialectal difference rather than a mere refusal or error.
• Then they took him: Immediate, forceful apprehension upon failure. No further argument or appeal.
• and slew him: Wa'yišhaṭūhū (וַיִּשְׁחֲטוּהוּ). The verb shaḥaṭ (שחט) often refers to slaughtering animals for sacrifice or food, implying a methodical, even brutal, killing.
• at the passages of Jordan: (מַעְבְּרוֹת הַיַּרְדֵּן, ma'ăvarōt hayYarden).
  • "Passages": Fords, crossing points, or strategic pathways. These were limited, making them choke points for fugitives.
  • Jordan: A significant geographical and symbolic boundary, here serving as a bottleneck for fleeing forces, a site of decisive judgment and separation.
• and there fell at that time: Signifying the direct result of this strategy.
• of the Ephraimites: Specifying the victim tribe, underscoring the internecine conflict.
• forty and two thousand: A precise and remarkably high number (42,000) for a tribal skirmish, emphasizing the scale of the massacre and the complete rout of the Ephraimite forces. This massive loss significantly weakened one of the dominant tribes of Israel.

Judges 12 6 Bonus section

• The "Shibboleth" incident illustrates that a group's unique identifier can be something subtle, yet impossible to fake or overcome at will, acting as an implicit marker of allegiance or origin. This goes beyond overt confessions to deep-seated cultural or habitual patterns.
• The severity of the Gileadites' response suggests not just military victory, but a deep-seated grievance and a perceived need for retribution against Ephraim's historical condescension and attempted domination. This reflected the fractured nature of Israel during the period of the Judges.
• The fords of the Jordan, often places of crossing and deliverance in biblical history (e.g., Josh 3:17-4:1), here became a place of mass judgment and slaughter for Ephraim. This highlights the ironic reversal of a traditional point of salvation into a scene of destruction for a disobedient tribe.

Judges 12 6 Commentary

Judges 12:6 provides a chilling account of how seemingly minor differences can lead to devastating outcomes, especially when exacerbated by pride and deep-seated animosity. The "Shibboleth" test stands as a unique biblical instance of linguistic forensics used for life-or-death identification. The Ephraimites' characteristic arrogance, exemplified in their past complaints against Gideon (Judg 8:1-3) and now against Jephthah, coupled with their disdain for the Gileadites, ultimately led to their demise. Their dialectal impediment, their inability to produce the "shin" sound, served as an irrefutable "fruit" by which their identity was revealed (Matt 7:20). This severe judgment at the Jordan crossings demonstrates the destructive power of internal strife and the high cost of inter-tribal division in a covenant community meant to be unified. The precise number of dead underscores the divine allowance of such immense losses when God's people act against His purposes through rebellion and hubris, leading to His withdrawing His hand of protection.