Chapter 95. Judges 12. Strife Among Brethren.
AFTER Jepthah’s dreadful vow was fulfilled, the people of Ephraim, jealous of his fame, came to him, and said: “How is it you went to fight the Amorites, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn you and your house over you.” Jephthah answered: When the children of Ammon pressed us so, and would fight with us, I called you, but you would not come to help us, and when I saw that you did not help us, I took my life in my hands and went to the children of Ammon, and the Lord: delivered them into my hand; and now you come and want to fight against me.
What selfishness the Ephraimites displayed in their action! To have done nothing, and yet want the glory of the victory! How active was Satan in bringing quarrels among those brethren! They had been living away from God, and had no strength to resist Satan in his effort to scatter them, as a wolf would the sheep. How glad they should have been to see their common enemies, the Amorites, subdued, whether by others or by themselves! Instead, what jealousy and pride.
Once before, we read of them coming to Gideon when he had fought the Midianites, and of being angry with him because he had not called Ahem, but that time a fight was avoided because Gideon was humble and willing to let them have the credit for it, but Jephthah was not so, and his answer shows how much he thought of what he had done.
From words, they went to fighting, and Jephthah gathered his men, the Gileadites and smote the Ephraimites. They took the fords of the Jordan from them, and guarded those passes. When one of those who tried to escape, was caught, they would ask him whether he was an Ephraimite. If he answered, “no” they told him to say “Shibboleth” (meaning Jehovah, or God) and if he could not pronounce it aright, but said “Sibboleth”, they would kill him. In this way, forty-two thousand Ephraimites died. So, through jealousy and desire for the first place, this awful. slaughter was brought about.
How unlike the blessed Lord Jesus they were! And how unlike Him we are too! He, the Lord of heaven, when on earth, was as one who served. He stooped to wash His disciples’ feet; He went through Samaria, a long journey, just to see a poor sinful woman, with whom no one else wanted to have anything to do. He was often tired, never thinking of Himself in His service for others. What a contrast between Him and the men of our story! O, that we might imitate Him more! “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister (or serve) and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:4545For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45). The apostle Paul tells us in Phil. 2: 3, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves.”
During six years Jephthah judged Israel. After his death other judges were over Israel, and during that time they were at peace. This did not last long, however, as we shall see, the Lord willing, in our next chapter.
ML 06/23/1912