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?
• New International Version (NIV)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?”
• 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?”

Context of Judges 12:3

1And 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. 2And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands. 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 Yhwh delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me? 4Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites. 5And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;

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

• 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 Yhwhיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · 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 9:17(For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:
• 1 Samuel 19:5For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, And Yhwh wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?
• 1 Samuel 28:21And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.
• Job 13:14Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?
• Psalms 119:109My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.
• Romans 16:4Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the Assemblies of the Gentiles.
• Revelation 12:11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
• Judges 11:27Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: Jehovah-shaphat, Yhwh the Judge, be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.
• 2 Chronicles 13:12And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against Yhwh God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.

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