DAWN
Daily Arts Web Nucleus
Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links and a discussion forum 2014 May 22
Guards in a Forest Clearing (1607)
Jan Brueghel the Elder (1568-1625)
Mannerist Transitioning to Baroque Style
Staatliche Museen Kassel, Kassel, Germany
Image Source: Web Gallery of Art
Explanation: Judges 12 has the conclusion of Jephthah's story, plus a brief mention of three other judges. The painting above suggests the guard which Jephthah placed at the fords of the Jordan. This is described below and happened after the defeat of the Ammonites in the previous chapter.
The tribe of Ephraim gathered their troops against Jephthah after he defeated the Ammonites, threatening to burn his house down upon him. They claimed that Jephthah did not call them to the battle with the Ammonites. Jephthah, however, said that he called them but they did not come, so he had to fight the Ammonites at the risk of his own life. (This may explain why he made his infamous vow in the previous chapter to make a human sacrifice if the LORD would give him victory. He sought a key advantage which the Ephraimites denied him by not showing up for the battle).
So, although they failed to show up for the battle with the Ammonites, the Ephraimites now went to battle with Jephthah. But Jephthah and the Gileadites routed the Ephraimites and captured the fords of the Jordan river. At that place they took the Ephraimites who were fleeing from the battle and used a language test to identify them. They made them say "Shibboleth," but the Ephraimites pronounced it "Sibboleth." Anyone who pronounced the word in the Ephraimite fashion was killed. In all, forty two thousand Ephraimites fell (1-6). Jephthah judged Israel six years before he died. He was buried in one of the cities of Gilead (7). After Jephthah, Ibzan judged Israel for seven years; and he had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He sent the daughters abroad and brought in thirty women from abroad for his sons. He was buried in Bethlehem (8-10). After Ibzan, Elon judged Israel for ten years and was buried in Aijalon (11-12). Then Abdon judged Israel for eight years. He had forty sons and thirty nephews who rode on seventy ass colts. He died and was buried at Pirathon (13-15).
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.
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.
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?
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.
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;
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.
7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
8 And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
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.
10 Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.
11 And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.
12 And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.
13 And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.
14 And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
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.
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