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?
• 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?”
• New Living Translation (NLT)So when I realized you weren’t coming, I risked my life and went to battle without you, and the Lord gave me victory over the Ammonites. So why have you now come to fight me?”

Context of Judges 12:3

1The 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.” 2Jephthah answered, “I and my people were engaged in a great struggle with the Ammonites, and although I called, you didn’t save me out of their hands. 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?” 4Jephthah then called together the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. The Gileadites struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are renegades from Ephraim and Manasseh.” 5The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a survivor of Ephraim said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead asked him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he replied, “No,”

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 9:17Remember that my father fought for you and risked his life to rescue you from the hand of Midian.
• 1 Samuel 19:5He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?”
• 1 Samuel 28:21When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do.
• Job 13:14Why do I put myself in jeopardy and take my life in my hands?
• Psalms 119:109Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law.
• Romans 16:4They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them.
• Revelation 12:11They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
• Judges 11:27I have not wronged you, but you are doing me wrong by waging war against me. Let the Lord, the Judge, decide the dispute this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.”
• 2 Chronicles 13:12God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. People of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed.”

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
• 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