This chapter relates a quarrel between Jephthah and the Ephraimites, which was fatal to the latter, Jude 1–6, the time of Jephthah judging Israel, his death and burial, Jude 7 and it briefly makes mention of three more judges of Israel, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon, Jude 8–15.

And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together Or “cried” [[16]]; got together by a cry or proclamation made: in the Hebrew text it is, “a man of Ephraim”; not a single man, but a body of men, who met together and joined as one man.

And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at a great strife with the children of Ammon As to the cause of the war, or the reason of his going over to fight the children of Ammon, it was a strife or contention between the Gileadites and them, concerning their country; which the children of…

And when I saw that ye delivered me not Gave him no assistance against their common enemy, did not attempt to save him and his people out of their hands, but left them to defend themselves: I put my life in my hands; ready to deliver it up in the defence of his country; the meaning is, that he…

Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim The Ephraimites not being pacified with the account Jephthah gave of the war between him and the children of Ammon, but continuing in their tumultuous outrage; he, being a man of spirit and courage, got as many of the…

And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites Being either swifter of foot, or going a nearer and shorter way, being better acquainted with their own country: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, let me go over; the fugitives of Ephraim, as…

Then said they unto him, say now “Shibboleth” Which signifies a stream or course of water, at which they now were; and so it was as if they had bid them say, “may I, or let me, pass over the stream of this river;” so Jarchi; and this being the case, though it was done to try them, and by their…

And Jephthah judged Israel six years After the affair of the Ephraimites, he was acknowledged by all Israel as their judge and supreme governor, but did not live long; being perhaps depressed and worn away with grief, on account of his daughter, and other troubles that attended him: then died…

And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. ] There were two Bethlehems, one in the tribe of Zebulun, of which some think this man was; and another in the tribe of Judah, the city of Jesse and David, and of the Messiah; and Josephus says [[22]], Ibzan was of the tribe of Judah, of the city of…

And he had thirty sons and thirty daughters Which was a very uncommon case for a man to have so many children, and those as to their sex to be equal. Between the former judge and him there was a great difference, in respect of this circumstance of children; he had but one daughter, an only child;…

Then died Ibzan, and was buried in Bethlehem. ] He died at the end of his seven years of government, and was buried in his native place; nothing memorable having happened during his being judge; this is all that is recorded of him.

And after him Elon a Zebulonite judged Israel One of the tribe of Zebulun: and he judged Israel ten years; administered justice to them, preserved them in the true religion, and from idolatry; though it does not appear that any enemies arose in his time against them, from whom he delivered them.

And Elon the Zebulonite died At the end of his ten years of government: and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun; which is added to distinguish it from another Aijalon in the tribe of Dan .

And after him Abdon the son of Hillell, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. ] So called from Pirathon, where he was born, and which was in the tribe of Ephraim, as appears from .

And he had forty sons, and thirty nephews Or sons’ sons, that is, grandsons; so that he lived not only to see his sons married, but his grandchildren grown up to men’s estate; since it follows, that rode on seventy ass colts; who were either employed by him to ride about on these animals, which in…

And Abdon the son of Hillell the Pirathonite died At the end of his eight years’ government; and was buried at Pirathon, in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites; in the place where he was born, and from whence he had the name of a Pirathonite; and this was in the tribe of Ephraim,…