Annotations upon the Holy Bible. Vol. I wherein the sacred text is inserted, and various readings annex'd, together with parallel scriptures, the more difficult terms in each verse are explained, seeming contradictions reconciled, questions and doubts resolved, and the whole text opened / by the late reverend and learned divine Mr. Matthew Poole.

CHAP. XII.

AND the men of Ephraim ‡ 1.1 gathered them∣selves together, and went northward a 1.2, and said unto Jephthah b 1.3, Wherefore passedst thou over c 1.4 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 peo∣ple were at great strife with the children of Am∣mon; and when I called you d 1.5, ye delivered me not out of their hand.

3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hand e 1.6, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver∣ed them into my hand. Wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day to fight against me f 1.7?

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 g 1.8.

5 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jor∣dan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped h 1.9, said, Let me go over, that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay i 1.10:

6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibbo∣leth k 1.11; and he said, Sibboleth l 1.12: for he could not frame to pronounce it right m 1.13. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time n 1.14 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 o 1.15 of Gilead.

8 ¶ And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem p 1.16 judged Israel.

9 And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he had sent abroad, and took q 1.17 in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.

10 Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Beth∣lehem.

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

12 And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was bu∣ried in Ajelon, in the country of Zebulun r 1.18.

13 ¶ And after him, Abdon the son of Hillel a Pirathonite judged Israel.

14 And he had forty sons, and thirty ‡ 1.19 ne∣phews, that * 1.20 rode on threescore and ten ass colts, and he judged Israel eight years.

15 And Abdon the son of Hillel the Piratho∣nite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites s 1.21.

Notes

• ‡ 1.1

  Heb. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 called.
• a 1.2

  Over Iordan, so Northward towards Mizpeh, where Iepthah was, Iudg. 11. 34. and which was in the Northern part of the Land beyond Iordan.
• b 1.3

  Through Pride and Envy, conrending with him, as they did before with Gi∣deon, Iudg. 8. 1.
• c 1.4

  Not over Iordan, for there he was al∣ready; but over the Borders of the Israelites land beyond Iordan, as appears by comparing this with Iudg. 11. 29. where the same Phrase is used.
• d 1.5

  Hence it appears, that he craved their assistance, which they denied; though that be not elsewhere ex∣pressed.
• e 1.6

  i. e. I exposed my self to utmost danger▪ as a man that carries a brittle and precious thing in his hand, which may easily either fall to the ground, or be snatch∣ed from him. The same Phrase is used 1 Sam. 19. 5. and 28. 21. Iob 13. 14. Psal. 119. 109.
• f 1.7

  Why do you thus requite my kindness in running into such ha∣zard to preserve you and yours?
• g 1.8

  According to this Translation, these words are a scoffing and contemptuous expression of the Ephraimites concerning the Gileadites, whom they call Fugitives of Ephraim; the word Ephraim being here taken largely, as it is elsewhere, as Isa. 7. 2, 5. so as it comprehends the other Neighbouring Tribes, of which Ephraim was in some sort the head or chief; and especially their Brethren of Manasseh, who lived next to them, and were descended from the same Father, Ioseph; by reason whereof, both these Tribes are sometimes reckoned for one, and called by the name of the Tribe of Ioseph. And this large signification of Ephraim may seem probable from the following words, where instead of Ephraim is put the Ephraimites, and the Ma∣nassites. By Gileadites here they seem principally to mean the Manassites beyond Iordan, who dwelt in Gilead, as ap∣pears from Deut. 3. 13. Iosh. 17. 1, 5, 6. And although other Gileadites were joyn'd with them, yet they vent their passion against these; principally, because they envied them most; partly, because they seem to have had a chief hand in the Victory, Iudg. 11. 29. And partly, because they were more nearly related to them, and therefore more obliged to de∣sire their Conjunction with them in the War. These they here opprobriously call fugitives, i. e. such as had deserted their Brethren of Ephraim and Manasseh, and for some worldly advantage planted themselves beyond Iordan at a distance from their Brethren, and were alienated in Affecti∣on from them, and carried on a distinct and separate Inter∣est of their own; as appears by their Monopolizing the glory of this Success to themselves, and excluding their Bre∣thren from it. According to the Hebrew the words lie, and may be rendred thus, Therefore (so chi is oft rendred) they said, Fugitives of Ephraim are ye; (i. e. Ye Ephraimites are meer run-aways: for the words next foregoing are, the men of Gilead smote Ephraim. And having told you what they said, because the Pronoun they was ambiguous, he adds by way of Explication) who said it, even, the Gileadites (and they said it when they had got the advantage over them, and got between them and home, as the next verse shews) be∣ing between Ephraim and Manasseh; i. e. Having taken the passages of Iordan, as it follows, which lay between Ephraim and that part of Manasseh which was beyond Iordan. Or these latter words may be rendred thus, And the Gileadites were between Ephraim and Manasseh. So there is only an Ellipsis of two small words, which are oft defective, and to be understood in Scripture. Or thus, And the Gileadites were in the midst of the Ephraimites, and in the midst of the Manassites, to wit, those Manassites who ordinarily lived within Iordan, who possibly were confederate with the Ephra∣imites in this quarrel. And so the meaning is, they followed close after them, and overtook them, and fell upon the midst of them, and smote them; and they sent a party to intercept them at the passages of Iordan, as it here follows.
• h 1.9

  Heb. The fugitives of Ephraim, as before; for the Hebrew words are the same. Which may make the latter Expositi∣on of the foregoing words more probable, to wit, that it is not the Gileadites, but the Ephraimites who are there as well as here so called, because they were smitten before Iep∣thah, and fled from him.
• i 1.10

  To avoid the present danger.
• k 1.11

  Which signifies a stream or river, which they desired to pass over: so it was a word proper for the occasion, and gave them no cause to suspect the Design, because they were required onely to express their desire, to go over the Shib∣boleth or River.
• l 1.12

  It is well known, that not only divers Na∣tions, but divers Provinces, or parts of the same Nation who use the same Language, differ in their dialect and man∣ner of pronunciation.
• m 1.13

  Or rather, he did not frame or direct himself to speak so, or to speak right; i. e. So as he was required to do it. The Hebrew Text doth not say that he could not do it, but that he did it not, because he suspect∣ing not the design of it, uttered it speedily according to his manner of Expression.
• n 1.14

  Not in that place, at the passages of Iordan, but in that Expedition, being slain either in the Battel, or in the Pursuit, or at Iordan.
• o 1.15

  Heb. In the cities. The Plural Number put for the Sin∣gular, as Gen. 19. 29. where Lot is said to dwell in the cities, i. e. one of the Cities: And 1 Sam. 18. 21▪ the twain is put for one of the twain: and Iudg. 18. 14. Houses for house: and Ionah 1. 5. The sides, for one of the sides.
• p 1.16

  Either that in Iudah, of which Matt. 2. 6. Or that in Zebulun, Iosh. 19. 15.
• q 1.17

  i. e. Took them home for Wives to hip Sons. See Gen. 24. 67. and 31. 50. Deut. 21. 12. 2 Sam. 11. 27.
• r 1.18

  This is added to distinguish it from other Asalons, of which see Iudg. 1. 35. 1 Chron. 6. 69. and 8. 13.
• ‡ 1.19

  Heb. Sons sons.
• * 1.20

  Chap. 5. 10. and 10. 4.
• s 1.21

  So called from some remarkable Exploit, done either by, or upon the Amalekites in that place.