WEEK 4 Judges 12
FRIDAY Reflections
Ending poorly, it does seem that several of the
stories in Judges end badly. What happened to Jephthah is not an exception. In
the previous chapter we hear about him sacrificing his daughter and here in
chapter 12, we find a battle that is absolutely unnecessary.
The battle against Ammon has been won. Now the
Ephraimites, who didn’t bother helping before or coming to the battle, are
threatening Jephthah for not allowing them to help win the fight. A victory has
been won and now pride steps in (maybe they are trying to cover their shame,
it's impossible to know). What is Ephraim’s response, “You won the battle, so
we are going to kill you.” Others may understand this but for myself, it seems
they should be celebrating. However, that is not the case, they are asking for
a fight.
Jephthah is right to be
offended that the people who didn’t help are now angry. Yet his final response
isn’t much better. Jephthah prepares for the fight the Ephraimites want and
defeats them in battle, but he doesn’t just end it there. Jephthah and his men
continue to chase down their fellow Israelites and slaughter them. These
actions are no better than the nations around them. God is supposed to be
followed yet they are still living like the heathens around them. Again, I
remind you these are not written as examples to follow but a record of the true
history of Israel. A history of people when they don’t do things God’s way.
Jdg 12:1-15
(1) And 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.
(2) And 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.
(3) 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?
(4) Then 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.
(5) And 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;
(6) 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.
(7) And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
(8) And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
(9) And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.
(10) Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.
(11) And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.
(12) And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.
(13) And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.
(14) And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
(15) And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.
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