UNROLL
First light at a ford of the Jordan: the river shallow and broad over pale stones, tamarisk and reeds on both banks, a trodden path running down into the water from each side, mist on the river.

The Book of

Judges 12

One word at a river crossing decided who lived. Israel was fighting itself now.

15 verses≈ 3 min4 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–2Not finishedThe land left half-taken
  2. 3–5The cycleSin, oppression, a deliverer
  3. 6–10Gideon and afterA weak man, a strong God
  4. 11–16Jephthah and SamsonFlawed deliverersChapter 12
  5. 17–21No king in IsraelEveryone did as he saw fit

Jephthah Defeats Ephraim

Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon.

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The men of Ephraim

They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!”

Jephthah

But Jephthah replied, “My people and I had a serious conflict with the Ammonites, and when I called, you did not save me out of their hands. When I saw that you would not save me, I risked my life and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come today to fight against me?”

I risked my life and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD delivered them into my hand.

Judges 12:3

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.”

Reflect

Words that wound

Ephraim had brought the same complaint to Gideon, and his gentle answer calmed them. This time the men of Ephraim threatened, “We will burn your house down with you inside!” Jephthah answered hard, and an old insult, “You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim,” turned brothers into enemies. Where is pride, or a word someone said long ago, setting you against other believers? Write it down, and what a gentle answer would sound like.

The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim would say, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he answered, “No,”

they told him, “Please say Shibboleth.”

If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. So at that time 42,000 Ephraimites were killed.

Dusk in the hills of Gilead: a family tomb cut into a low limestone face at the edge of a terraced slope, its small square doorway closed with a flat stone, an oak beside it.

Jephthah judged Israel six years, and when he died, he was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

0:06

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Question

Quick question

At the fords of the Jordan, one word gave a man away.

What word did the Gileadites ask travelers at the fords to say?

Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon

Late afternoon on a ridge road in Ephraim's hill country: a long line of young men in good dyed cloaks riding small donkeys with bright saddle cloths comes over the crest.

The judges

Ibzan, Elon and Abdon

  1. Ibzan

    Ibzan of Bethlehem

    After Jephthah, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

  2. Sixty children married outside the clan

    He had thirty sons, as well as thirty daughters whom he gave in marriage to men outside his clan; and for his sons he brought back thirty wives from elsewhere.

  3. Judged seven years

    Ibzan judged Israel seven years.

  4. Buried in Bethlehem

    Then Ibzan died, and he was buried in Bethlehem.

  5. Elon

    Elon the Zebulunite: ten years

    After Ibzan, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel ten years.

  6. Buried in Aijalon, in Zebulun

    Then Elon the Zebulunite died, and he was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.

  7. Abdon

    Abdon son of Hillel, of Pirathon

    After Elon, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, judged Israel.

  8. Seventy riders on seventy donkeys

    He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys.

  9. Judged eight years

    And he judged Israel eight years.

  10. Buried at Pirathon in Ephraim

    Then Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, died, and he was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.

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Judges 12

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A verse to carry with you

When I saw that you would not save me, I risked my life and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD delivered them into my hand.

Judges 12:3

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