God’s Word Translation
Judges 12:6
6they would tell him, “Say the word shibboleth.” If the fugitive would say sibboleth, because he couldn’t pronounce the word correctly, they would grab him and kill him at the shallow crossings of the Jordan River. At that time 42,000 men from Ephraim died.
Judges 12:6 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (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.
- English Standard Version (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.
- New King James Version (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.
Context of Judges 12:6
4Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought Ephraim. The men of Gilead defeated Ephraim. ⌞They did this because⌟ Ephraim had said, “You people from Gilead are nothing but fugitives from Ephraim and Manasseh.” 5The men of Gilead captured the shallow crossings of the Jordan River leading back to Ephraim. Whenever a fugitive from Ephraim said, “Let me cross,” the men of Gilead would ask, “Are you from Ephraim?” If he answered, “No,” they would tell him, “Say the word shibboleth.” If the fugitive would say sibboleth, because he couldn’t pronounce the word correctly, they would grab him and kill him at the shallow crossings of the Jordan River. At that time 42,000 men from Ephraim died. 7Jephthah judged Israel for six years. Then Jephthah of Gilead died and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. 8After Jephthah, Ibzan from Bethlehem judged Israel.
Read all of Judges 12Judges 12:6 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לוֹ֩ אֱמָר־נָ֨א שִׁבֹּ֜לֶת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר סִבֹּ֗לֶת וְלֹ֤א יָכִין֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר כֵּ֔ן וַיֹּאחֲז֣וּ אוֹת֔וֹ וַיִּשְׁחָט֖וּהוּ אֶל־מַעְבְּר֣וֹת הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן וַיִּפֹּ֞ל בָּעֵ֤ת הַהִיא֙ מֵֽאֶפְרַ֔יִם אַרְבָּעִ֥ים וּשְׁנַ֖יִם אָֽלֶף׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- now Shibbolethשִׁבֹּ֫לֶתshibbôl shibbôleth · ShibbolethH7641
- Sibbolethסִבֹּלֶתsibbôleth · streamH5451
- for he could not frameכּוּןkûn · to establish: prepareH3559
- to pronounceדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- Then they tookאָחַז'âchaz · to graspH270
- him, and slewשָׁחַטshâchaţ · to slaughterH7819
- him at the passagesמַעֲבָרָהma‛ăbâr ma‛ăbârâh · fordH4569
- of Jordanיַרְדֵּןyardên · JordanH3383
- and there fellנָפַלnâphal · to fall: killH5307
- at that timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
- of the Ephraimitesאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
- fortyאַרְבָּעִים'arbâ‛îym · fortyH705
- and twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
Cross-references for Judges 12:6
- Matthew 26:73After a little while the men standing there approached Peter and said, “It’s obvious you’re also one of them. Your accent gives you away!”
- Mark 14:70Peter again denied it. After a little while the men standing there said to Peter again, “It’s obvious you’re one of them. You’re a Galilean!”
- Psalms 69:2I am sinking in deep mud. There is nothing to stand on. I am in deep water. A flood is sweeping me away.
- Isaiah 27:12On that day the Lord will begin his threshing from the flowing stream of the Euphrates River to the brook of Egypt. People of Israel, you will be gathered one by one.
- Job 24:24⌞Such people⌟ may be prosperous for a little while, but then they’re gone. They are brought down low and disappear like everything else. They wither like heads of grain.
- Exodus 6:6“Tell the Israelites, ‘I am the Lord. I will bring you out from under the oppression of the Egyptians, and I will free you from slavery. I will rescue you with my powerful arm and with mighty acts of judgment.
- Proverbs 17:14Starting a quarrel is ⌞like⌟ opening a floodgate, so stop before the argument gets out of control.
- Proverbs 18:19An offended brother is more ⌞resistant⌟ than a strong city, and disputes are like the locked gate of a castle tower.
- Ecclesiastes 10:12A wise person’s words win favors, but a fool’s lips are self-destructive.
- Matthew 12:25Since Jesus knew what they were thinking, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is ruined. And every city or household divided against itself will not last.
- Galatians 5:15But if you criticize and attack each other, be careful that you don’t destroy each other.
- Numbers 26:37These were the families of Ephraim’s descendants. The total number of men was 32,500. These were the families descended from Joseph.
Commentaries on Judges 12:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Say now Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth - The original differs only in the first letter ס samech, instead of ש sheen ; סבלת ויאמר שבלת נא אמר emar na Shibboleth, vaiyomer Sibboleth . The difference between ש seen, without a point, which when pointed is pronounced sheen, and ס samech, is supposed by many to be imperceptible. But there can be no doubt there was, to the ears of a Hebrew, a most sensible distinction. Most Europeans, and, indeed, most who…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth - This is a curious instance of dialectic difference of pronunciation between the East and West Jordanic tribes. It is an evidence of the sound “sh” having passed into the Hebrew from the East of Jordan, possibly from the Arabians, with whom the sound is common. Forty-two thousand - The number includes the slain in battle and those killed at the fords.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6The term Shibboleth is now used to mean any password used to identify imposters. Armies have used such linguistic tests throughout history. 42,000 Ephraimites: This number might also mean "42 troops" (see study note on Exodus 12:37).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-154-6. the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim--The remonstrances of Jephthah, though reasonable and temperate, were not only ineffectual, but followed by insulting sneers that the Gileadites were reckoned both by the western Manassites and Ephraimites as outcasts--the scum and refuse of their common stock. This was addressed to a peculiarly sensitive people. A feud immediately ensued. The Gileadites…Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 12:6
In the dictionaries
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
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