Judges 12:1

Judges 12:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.
• New International Version (NIV)The Ephraimite forces were called out, and they crossed over to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We’re going to burn down your house over your head.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)The men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, "Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the men of Ephraim gathered together, crossed over toward Zaphon, and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the people of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you with fire!”

Context of Judges 12:1

The Ephraimites assembled and crossed over to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why did you go and fight with the Ammonites without asking us to go with you? We will burn your house down right over you!” 2Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were entangled in controversy with the Ammonites. I asked for your help, but you did not deliver me from their power. 3When I saw that you were not going to help, I risked my life and advanced against the Ammonites, and the Lord handed them over to me. Why have you come up to fight with me today?”

Judges 12:1 word by word

וַיִּצָּעֵק֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶפְרַ֔יִם וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר צָפ֑וֹנָה וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ לְיִפְתָּ֜ח מַדּ֣וּעַ׀ עָבַ֣רְתָּ׀ לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם בִּבְנֵי־עַמּ֗וֹן וְלָ֙נוּ֙ לֹ֤א קָרָ֙אתָ֙ לָלֶ֣כֶת עִמָּ֔ךְ בֵּיתְךָ֕ נִשְׂרֹ֥ף עָלֶ֖יךָ בָּאֵֽשׁ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the menאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• of Ephraimאֶפְרַ֫יִם'ephrayim · EphraimH669
• gathered themselves togetherצָעַקtsâ‛aq · to cryH6817
• and wentעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• northwardצָפוֹןtsâphôn tsâphôn · ZaphonH6828
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Jephthahיִפְתָּחyiphtâch · JephthahH3316
• to fightלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898
• against the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Ammonעַמּוֹן‛ammôn · AmmonH5983
• and didst not callקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• us to goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• with thee? we will burnשָׂרַףώâraph · to burnH8313
• thine houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
• upon thee with fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784

Cross-references for Judges 12:1

• Judges 8:1The Ephraimites said to him, “Why have you done such a thing to us? You did not summon us when you went to fight the Midianites!” They argued vehemently with him.
• 2 Samuel 19:41Then all the men of Israel began coming to the king. They asked the king, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, sneak the king away and help the king and his household cross the Jordan – and not only him but all of David’s men as well?”
• Psalms 109:4They repay my love with accusations, but I continue to pray.
• Ecclesiastes 4:4Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless – like chasing the wind.
• John 10:32Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good deeds from the Father. For which one of them are you going to stone me?”
• Judges 14:15On the fourth day they said to Samson’s bride, “Trick your husband into giving the solution to the riddle. If you refuse, we will burn up you and your father’s family. Did you invite us here to make us poor?”
• Judges 15:6The Philistines asked, “Who did this?” They were told, “Samson, the Timnite’s son-in-law, because the Timnite took Samson’s bride and gave her to his best man.” So the Philistines went up and burned her and her father.
• Proverbs 27:3A stone is heavy and sand is weighty, but vexation by a fool is more burdensome than the two of them.
• James 3:16For where there is jealousy and selfishness, there is disorder and every evil practice.
• James 4:1Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, from your passions that battle inside you?

Commentaries on Judges 12:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1The men of Ephraim gathered themselves together - ויצעק vaiyitstsaek, they called each other to arms; summoning all their tribe and friends to arm themselves to destroy Jephthah and the Gileadites, being jealous lest they should acquire too much power.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Compare the similar complaint of the Ephraimites to Gideon Judges 8:1, when a civil war was only avoided by Gideon‘s wise and patriotic moderation. The overhearing pride of Ephraim comes out in both occurrences (see also Joshua 17:14-18). We will burn thine house upon thee with fire - Compare the fierce threat of the Philistines to Samson‘s wife Judges 14:15, and the yet fiercer execution Judges 15:6. Burning appears as a mode of capital punishment…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Ephraimites quarrel with Jephthah. (1-7) Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon judge Israel. (8-15) Verses 1-7 The Ephraimites had the same quarrel with Jephthah as with Gideon. Pride was at the bottom of the quarrel; only by that comes contention. It is ill to fasten names of reproach upon persons or countries, as is common, especially upon those under outward disadvantages. It often occasions quarrels that prove of ill consequence, as it did here. No contentions are…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1Zaphon was just east of the Jordan River, opposite the area belonging to the tribe of Ephraim.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-31. the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together--Hebrew, "were summoned." and went northward--After crossing the Jordan, their route from Ephraim was, strictly speaking, in a northeasterly direction, toward Mizpeh. the men of Ephraim ... said unto Jephthah, Wherefore ... didst [thou] not call us?--This is a fresh development of the jealous, rash, and irritable temper of the Ephraimites. The ground of their offense now was their desire of enjoying the…Read the comment

Topics related to Judges 12:1

• Ammonites
• Citizens
• Ephraim
• Israel
• Jealousy
• Jephthah
• Judge
• Strife
• Treason
• War

In the dictionaries

• Ammon
• Ephraim
• Jephthah
• Shibboleth
• Strife
• Abdon (1)
• Gilead (1)
• Israel, History of
• 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