JUDGES LESSON 14


     We will begin this lesson in Judges 12:1 "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."

     It seems that the men of Ephraim were so puffed up with pride,
they thought that everything done had to involve them. They have no
justification for burning his house. He was doing just as he had been
requested of his people.

     Judges 12:2 "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."

     Jephthah had, probably, asked for their help from the very
beginning, even before he took on the job of leading the children of
Israel in battle. They had not volunteered, when their help was
needed. God empowered Jephthah for this job, and then, he did not need
them.  They were not so eager to help, until after the battle was won.

     Judges 12:3 "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?"

     It appears, they have a personal hate for Jephthah, that has
nothing to do with this incident. If they fight against him, they will
be fighting against the LORD who sent him.

     Judges 12:4 "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."

     Jephthah had no choice. He had to stop Ephraim from burning his
house. Ephraim had always been jealous of Manasseh, and Manasseh was
jealous of Ephraim. They were both from the tribe of Joseph, and
should have been helping each other.

     Judges 12:5 "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;"

     It seems that, the men of Jephthah got to the Jordan first. They
blocked the passage ways back into the land of Ephraim. Some of the
men of the tribe of Ephraim tried to slip back across the border
without being found out. The men of Gilead caught them, and asked them
if they were Ephraimites. They said they were not, because they feared
for their lives.
     Judges 12:6 "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."

     We see that the man of Ephraim could not pronounce Shibboleth,
and he said Sibboleth. This gave him away as an Ephraimite. They
killed him. They actually killed 42,000 Ephraimites.

     Judges 12:7 "And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died
Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in [one of] the cities of
Gilead."

     His rule as judge was for just 6 years, but he accomplished a lot
in that time. He was buried in a city in Gilead, the land of his
father.

     Judges 12:8  "And after him Ibzan of Beth-lehem judged Israel."

     Some people believe that Ibzan, here, is the same as Boaz. Some
historians say, that he was of the tribe of Judah.

     Judges 12:9 "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."

     There is little else known of Ibzan, except what we read here. He
believed in his children marrying outside of their tribe. He reigned 7
years, which must have been without war, since there is nothing
mentioned.

     Judges 12:10 "Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Beth-lehem."

     There was a Bethlehem in Judah, and a Bethlehem in the land of
Zebulun. We would be guessing, to say which it was.

     Judges 12:11  "And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel;
and he judged Israel ten years."

     It is unlikely that two judges in a row would be from the same
tribe. Since it is recorded here that Elon was of Zebulun, it is
highly unlikely that Ibzan was. Elon was judge 10 years.

     Judges 12:12 "And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in
Aijalon in the country of Zebulun."

     When there is so little written about a judge, it, probably,
means there were no great events during his judgeship.

     Judges 12:13  "And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a
Pirathonite, judged Israel."

     Pirathon was of the territory of Ephraim. This just means that
Abdon lived in Pirathon.

     Judges 12:14 "And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode
on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years."

     The fact that he had 40 sons riding on ass colts means that he
was, probably, a wealthy man. Most scholars believe the 30 nephews are
speaking of his grandsons. They, too, rode on ass colts. His time of
judgeship lasted 8 years, and very little is known of him.

     Judges 12:15 "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."

     It seemed he lived, served as judge 8 years, and died after a
very quiet, peaceful life. He was buried in his hometown of Pirathon.







































                         Judges 14 Questions


1.  Who complained to Jephthah that they had been left out of the war?
2.  What did they threaten to do to Jephthah?
3.  Who did he say, he and his people had been at great strife with?
4.  What had he asked of them, and they did not do it?
5.  When had they become eager to help?
6.  Who delivered them into Jephthah's hands?
7.  Why did they really come to fight him?
8.  Who did Jephthah gather to help him fight Ephraim's tribe?
9.  Ephraim and Manasseh were both from the tribe of ________.
10. Who took the passage of the Jordan?
11. Who did they catch trying to cross?
12. What question did they ask them?
13. How did they catch them in a lie about who they were?
14. How many of Ephraim's tribe died in battle?
15. How long did Jephthah judge Israel?
16. Who was judge after Jephthah?
17. Where was he from?
18. How long did he judge?
19. Who judged after Ibzan?
20. What tribe was he from?
21. How many years did he judge?
22. Who took his place as judge?
23. Where was he from?
24. What tribe is that from?
25. How many sons did he have?
26. What did they ride?
27. The nephews could be __________.
28. How long did he judge?