New English Translation
Judges 12:6
6then they said to him, “Say ‘Shibboleth!’” If he said, “Sibboleth” (and could not pronounce the word correctly), they grabbed him and executed him right there at the fords of the Jordan. On that day forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell dead.
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
4Jephthah assembled all the men of Gilead and they fought with Ephraim. The men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because the Ephraimites insulted them, saying, “You Gileadites are refugees in Ephraim, living within Ephraim’s and Manasseh’s territory.” 5The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan River opposite Ephraim. Whenever an Ephraimite fugitive said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead asked him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,” then they said to him, “Say ‘Shibboleth!’” If he said, “Sibboleth” (and could not pronounce the word correctly), they grabbed him and executed him right there at the fords of the Jordan. On that day forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell dead. 7Jephthah led Israel for six years; then he died and was buried in his city in Gilead. 8After him Ibzan of Bethlehem led 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, those standing there came up to Peter and said, “You really are one of them too – even your accent gives you away!”
- Mark 14:70But he denied it again. A short time later the bystanders again said to Peter, “You must be one of them, because you are also a Galilean.”
- Psalms 69:2I sink into the deep mire where there is no solid ground; I am in deep water, and the current overpowers me.
- Isaiah 27:12At that time the Lord will shake the tree, from the Euphrates River to the Stream of Egypt. Then you will be gathered up one by one, O Israelites.
- Job 24:24They are exalted for a little while, and then they are gone, they are brought low like all others, and gathered in, and like a head of grain they are cut off.’
- Exodus 6:6Therefore, tell the Israelites, ‘I am the Lord. I will bring you out from your enslavement to the Egyptians, I will rescue you from the hard labor they impose, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.
- Proverbs 17:14Starting a quarrel is like letting out water; stop it before strife breaks out!
- Proverbs 18:19A relative offended is harder to reach than a strong city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a fortified citadel.
- Ecclesiastes 10:12The words of a wise person win him favor, but the words of a fool are self-destructive.
- Matthew 12:25Now when Jesus realized what they were thinking, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and no town or house divided against itself will stand.
- Galatians 5:15However, if you continually bite and devour one another, beware that you are not consumed by one another.
- Numbers 26:37These were the families of the Ephraimites, according to those numbered of them, 32,500. These were the descendants of Joseph by their families.
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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