Judges 12:3

Judges 12:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?
• New International Version (NIV)When I saw that you wouldn’t help, I took my life in my hands and crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave me the victory over them. Now why have you come up today to fight me?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when I saw that you would not save me, I took my life in my hand and crossed over against the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)So when I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hands and crossed over against the people of Ammon; and the Lord delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?”

Context of Judges 12:3

1The men of Ephraim's tribe joined together to make an army. They crossed over the Jordan River to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, ‘Why did you go to fight against the Ammonites without us? You should have asked us to go with you. Now we will burn down your house with you inside it!’ 2Jephthah replied, ‘I did ask for your help! That was when my people and I first had a quarrel with the Ammonites. But you refused to rescue us. When I realized that you would not come to help us, we attacked the Ammonites ourselves. I put my life in danger. But the Lord put the Ammonites under my power. So why have you come to attack me now?’ 4Jephthah brought together all the men of Gilead. They fought against the men of Ephraim's tribe. The men of Gilead won the fight. They were angry because the men of Ephraim had insulted them. They had said, ‘You people of Gilead have run away to live on the land of Ephraim and Manasseh.’ 5After that, Gilead's army put guards at the places where people could go across the Jordan River. They wanted to stop people from Ephraim going across the river. If one of Ephraim's soldiers was trying to escape, they would ask him, ‘Do you belong to Ephraim's tribe?’ The man would say, ‘No, I do not!’

Judges 12:3 word by word

וָֽאֶרְאֶ֞ה כִּֽי־אֵינְךָ֣ מוֹשִׁ֗יע וָאָשִׂ֨ימָה נַפְשִׁ֤י בְכַפִּי֙ וָֽאֶעְבְּרָה֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן וַיִּתְּנֵ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה בְּיָדִ֑י וְלָמָ֞ה עֲלִיתֶ֥ם אֵלַ֛י הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה לְהִלָּ֥חֶם בִּֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when I sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• that ye deliveredיָשַׁעyâsha‛ · to saveH3467
• not, I putשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: takeH7760
• my lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• in my handsכַּףkaph · palmH3709
• and passed overעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• against the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Ammonעַמּוֹן‛ammôn · AmmonH5983
• and the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• deliveredנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• them into my handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• wherefore then are ye come upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• unto me this dayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117
• to fightלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898

Cross-references for Judges 12:3

• Judges 9:17My father Gideon fought to save you. He did not try to keep his own life safe. He rescued you from the power of the Midianites.
• 1 Samuel 19:5David was not afraid to die when he fought against the Philistine, Goliath. When David killed Goliath, the Lord helped Israel to win a great battle. When you saw it, you were very happy. So why do you now want to kill David? He is not guilty of anything that is wrong. You have no reason to kill him.’
• 1 Samuel 28:21Then the woman came to Saul. She saw that he was very afraid. She said, ‘I have obeyed you, sir. I did what you asked me to do. I might have died because I did that.
• Job 13:14I am ready for my life to be in danger. I must take that risk.
• Psalms 119:109My life is always in danger, but I never forget your Law.
• Romans 16:4They were even ready to die so that they could help me. So I have a good reason to thank them. All the groups of Gentile believers also have a good reason to thank them.
• Revelation 12:11Our brothers and sisters fought against him and they won. They could do this because of the death of the Lamb as a sacrifice. They continued to speak God's true message. They were also ready to die as God's servants. That is why they were able to win against Satan.
• Judges 11:27I have not done anything to hurt you. You are the one who is doing something wrong if you attack us. The Lord himself is the judge! He will decide whether the Israelites or the Ammonites are doing what is right.” ’
• 2 Chronicles 13:12Listen to me! God himself is our leader. He is here to help us. His priests are ready to make a loud noise with their trumpets to start the battle against you. Israelite people, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your ancestors. You will not win the battle.’

Commentaries on Judges 12:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3I put my life in my hands - I exposed myself to the greatest difficulties and dangers. But whence did this form of speech arise? Probably from a man's laying hold of his sword, spear, or bow. "This is the defender of my life; on this, and my proper use of it, my life depends." When a man draws his sword against his foe, his enemy will naturally aim at his life; and his sword in his hand is his sole defense. It is then, Fight and conquer, or die. Thus…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3I put my life in my hands - Compare 1 Samuel 19:5; 1 Samuel 28:21. The phrase expresses the utmost possible risk, knowingly incurred.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-6Ephraim felt neglected again (see Judges 8:1–3) and wanted revenge. Unlike Gideon's approach, Jephthah blamed Ephraim, leading to a civil war.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands--A common form of speech in the East for undertaking a duty of imminent peril. This Jephthah had done, having encountered and routed the Ammonites with the aid of his Gileadite volunteers alone; and since the Lord had enabled him to conquer without requiring assistance from any other tribe, why should the Ephraimites take offense? They ought rather to have been delighted and thankful that…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 12:3

• Ammonites
• Citizens
• Israel
• Judge
• Strife
• Treason
• War

In the dictionaries

• Ammon
• Ammon; Ammonites
• Ammon, Ammonite
• Shibboleth
• Strife
• Abdon (1)
• Israel, History of
• Jephthah
• Judges, Book of
• Judges, Period of

Commentaries on Judges 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings