New International Version
Judges 12:6
6they 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)they would tell him to say “Shibboleth.” If he was from Ephraim, he would say “Sibboleth,” because people from Ephraim cannot pronounce the word correctly. Then they would take him and kill him at the shallow crossings of the Jordan. In all, 42,000 Ephraimites were killed at that time.
Context of Judges 12:6
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,” 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. 7Jephthah led Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in a town 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 went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
- Mark 14:70Again he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”
- Psalms 69:2I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.
- Isaiah 27:12In that day the Lord will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, Israel, will be gathered up one by one.
- Job 24:24For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like heads of grain.
- Exodus 6:6“Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.
- Proverbs 17:14Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
- Proverbs 18:19A brother wronged is more unyielding than a fortified city; disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
- Ecclesiastes 10:12Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.
- Matthew 12:25Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.
- Galatians 5:15If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
- Numbers 26:37These were the clans of Ephraim; those numbered were 32,500. These were the descendants of Joseph by their clans.
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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