Judges 12:1-7
Words That Become a Battle
Read the passage
1Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. 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!”
2But 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.
3When 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?”
4Jephthah 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.”
5The 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,”
6they 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.
7Jephthah judged Israel six years, and when he died, he was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Ephraim accuses Jephthah of going to war without calling them and threatens to burn his house with him inside. Jephthah gives a different account: he says he did call, they did not help, and he risked his life while the LORD gave him victory. We need to hear both statements rather than repeat the accusation as an established fact.
The quarrel becomes a battle between fellow Israelites. Gilead defeats Ephraim after Ephraim insults the Gileadites as fugitives. Then the Gileadites seize the Jordan crossings.
Anyone seeking to cross is asked whether he is an Ephraimite. If he denies it, he must say “Shibboleth.” Those who say “Sibboleth” are identified and killed. The passage records forty-two thousand Ephraimite deaths in the conflict. A difference in pronunciation has become a means of deciding who will live.
Jephthah judges Israel for six years and then dies. Victory over Ammon has been followed by devastating violence within Israel. A deliverer on the battlefield has not brought peace among his own people.
Questions
1 How do Ephraim’s accusation and Jephthah’s answer differ?
AnswerEphraim says he did not call them. Jephthah says he called and they failed to help. He also credits the LORD with victory.
2 How do the Gileadites identify fugitives from Ephraim?
AnswerThey require them to say “Shibboleth.” Those who pronounce it “Sibboleth” are identified and killed at the Jordan crossings.
3 What loss does the passage record?
AnswerForty-two thousand Ephraimites are killed. The conflict among Israelites follows the victory over their outside enemy.
4 How can we prevent a disagreement from becoming contempt for a whole group?
AnswerWe can address the particular action and hear the answer, without mocking someone’s family, accent, or background. Belonging to a group does not make a person a fair target.
What This Means for Us
Contempt can spread from a complaint about conduct to ridicule of a person's whole identity. Refuse that move. Address what was said or done, allow the other person to answer, and avoid recruiting others through mockery. An accent, family name, or background should never become a reason to treat someone as less worthy of care.
Prayer
Lord, stop our conflicts before wounded pride turns neighbors into enemies. Govern our speech, and give us patience to pursue truth without contempt. Amen.