In this chapter, the Israelites fight one another, Jephthah dies, and three other judges rule over Israel. The chapter begins, “Then the tribe of Ephraim mobilized its army and crossed over to Zaphon. They sent this message to Jephthah: “Why didn’t you call for us to help you fight against Ammon? We are going to burn down your house with you in it!” Wow! What is going on...why are they upset? They are both tribes of Israel!
“I summoned you at the beginning of the dispute, but you refused to come!” Jephthah said. “You failed to help us in our struggle against Ammon. So I risked my life and went to battle without you, and the Lord gave me victory over the Ammonites. So why have you come to fight me?
The leaders of Ephraim responded, “The men of Gilead are nothing more than rejects from Ephraim and Manasseh.” so Jephthah called out his army and attacked the men of Ephraim and defeated them.
Jephthah captured the shallows of the Jordan, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim tried to go back across, the men of Gilead would challenge him. “Are you a member of the tribe of Ephraim?” they would ask. If the man said, “No, I’m not,” they would tell him to say “Shibboleth.” If he was from Ephraim, he would day “Sibboleth,” because people from Ephraim cannot pronounce the word correctly. Then they would take him and kill him at the shallows of the Jordan River. So forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed at that time.” (Judges 12:1-6)
After six years of being Israel’s judge, Jephthah died and was buried in Gilead. Ibzan of Bethlehem became Israel’s judge after Jephthah. He had 30 sons and 30 daughters, and they all married outside their clan. He was Israel’s judge for seven years.
Elon from Zebulun became Israel’s judge after Ibzan, and he was judge, until his death, for 10 years. After Elon, Abdon from Pirathon became Israel’s judge. He served for eight years as judge over Israel.
Lord, thank you for your Word today! Help us to be peaceful with one another, to extend grace and mercy with one another, and to lift up one another. We love you!
May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
….AND MAY WE ALL PRACTICE THIS WITH ONE ANOTHER
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