Tree of Life Version
Judges 12:6
6then they would say to him, “Say now, ‘Shibboleth,’” and he said “Sibboleth” since he could not pronounce it right, then they would seize him and slay him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 of Ephraim fell.
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
4Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought Ephraim. The men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, “You Gileadites are just fugitives of Ephraim in the midst of Ephraim and in the midst of Manasseh.” 5The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan opposite Ephraim. So when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,” then they would say to him, “Say now, ‘Shibboleth,’” and he said “Sibboleth” since he could not pronounce it right, then they would seize him and slay him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 of Ephraim fell. 7Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in one of the towns of Gilead. 8After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged 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 26:73A little while later, some of the bystanders approached Peter and said to him, “Surely you’re one of them, too—your accent gives you away.”
- Mark 14:70But again he denied it. And a little while later, the bystanders were again saying to Peter, “Surely you’re one of them, for you’re also a Galilean.”
- Psalms 69:2Save me, O God, for the waters have reached my soul.
- Isaiah 27:12It will come about in that day, Adonai will thresh from the channel of the River to the Wadi of Egypt, and you will be gathered one by one, Bnei-Yisrael.
- Job 24:24They are exalted for a little while and then they are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others, they are like heads of grain they wither.
- Exodus 6:6Therefore say to Bnei-Yisrael: I am Adonai, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will deliver you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.
- Proverbs 17:14The beginning of strife is like letting out water— so stop a quarrel before it breaks out.
- Proverbs 18:19An offended brother is more formidable than a fortified city, and quarrels are like the bars of a fortress.
- Ecclesiastes 10:12Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but the lips of a fool destroy him.
- Matthew 12:25Knowing their thoughts, Yeshua said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.
- Galatians 5:15But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not destroyed by one another.
- Numbers 26:37These were the families of the sons of Ephraim. These numbered 32,500. These were the sons 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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Commentaries