Judges 12:4 - Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, “You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the middle of Ephraim, and in the middle of Manasseh.”
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Judges 12:4" mean?
This verse describes the start of a civil war between the tribes of Gilead and Ephraim. Let's break it down:
"Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim." - Jephthah was a judge of Israel from Gilead. He mobilized the Gileadite army and went to war against the tribe of Ephraim.
"The men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, 'You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the middle of Ephraim, and in the middle of Manasseh.'" - This explains the reason for the conflict. The Ephraimites insulted the Gileadites by calling them "fugitives of Ephraim." This was a derogatory term, implying that the Gileadites were outcasts or inferior members of the tribe of Ephraim who had fled and were now living in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh. This insult was likely a challenge to the Gileadites' legitimacy and claim to their territory.
Underlying Issues
The insult likely stemmed from a combination of factors:
Tribal Rivalry: There was long-standing rivalry and tension between the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, and the Gileadites, who were part of the tribe of Manasseh, were likely caught in the middle.
Jephthah's Victory: In the previous chapter (Judges 11), Jephthah defeated the Ammonites without the help of Ephraim. Ephraim felt slighted for not being included in the victory and possibly wanted to share in the spoils of war or assert their dominance.
Territorial Claims: The Gileadites lived on the eastern side of the Jordan River, which may have led some in Ephraim to see them as being less "pure" Israelites or as having less claim to the land west of the Jordan.
In Summary
The verse describes a conflict sparked by a tribal insult. The Ephraimites, feeling slighted or jealous of the Gileadites, called them "fugitives" as a way to undermine their status and challenge their identity. This insult triggered a war between the two tribes.
Judges 12:4 - Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, “You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the middle of Ephraim, and in the middle of Manasseh.”
What does "Judges 12:4" mean?
This verse describes the start of a civil war between the tribes of Gilead and Ephraim. Let's break it down:
"Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim." - Jephthah was a judge of Israel from Gilead. He mobilized the Gileadite army and went to war against the tribe of Ephraim.
"The men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, 'You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the middle of Ephraim, and in the middle of Manasseh.'" - This explains the reason for the conflict. The Ephraimites insulted the Gileadites by calling them "fugitives of Ephraim." This was a derogatory term, implying that the Gileadites were outcasts or inferior members of the tribe of Ephraim who had fled and were now living in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh. This insult was likely a challenge to the Gileadites' legitimacy and claim to their territory.
Underlying Issues
The insult likely stemmed from a combination of factors:
Tribal Rivalry: There was long-standing rivalry and tension between the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, and the Gileadites, who were part of the tribe of Manasseh, were likely caught in the middle.
Jephthah's Victory: In the previous chapter (Judges 11), Jephthah defeated the Ammonites without the help of Ephraim. Ephraim felt slighted for not being included in the victory and possibly wanted to share in the spoils of war or assert their dominance.
Territorial Claims: The Gileadites lived on the eastern side of the Jordan River, which may have led some in Ephraim to see them as being less "pure" Israelites or as having less claim to the land west of the Jordan.
In Summary
The verse describes a conflict sparked by a tribal insult. The Ephraimites, feeling slighted or jealous of the Gileadites, called them "fugitives" as a way to undermine their status and challenge their identity. This insult triggered a war between the two tribes.