Judges 12:2
*“Jephthah said to them, ‘I and my people were at great strife with the sons of Ammon; when I called you, you did not deliver me from their hand.’”* (Judges 12:2 NASB-95)
Jephthah, one of the judges of Israel who lived around the late 12th century BC, found himself in a dispute with the tribe of Ephraim. As he recounts in this verse, *“I and my people were at great strife with the sons of Ammon”* (v.2), demonstrating the severe conflict he and those in Gilead faced at that time. Gilead was a region east of the Jordan River, known for its rugged terrain and historical significance in Israel’s battles. Jephthah and his community urgently needed aid, but they did not receive the assistance he had hoped for from fellow Israelites, namely the men of Ephraim.
By clarifying the lack of response when he says, *“when I called you, you did not deliver me from their hand”* (v.2), Jephthah shows he both sought and expected unity during a season of turmoil, but encountered silence instead. This tension foreshadows the difficult encounter he will have with his own brethren, highlighting how internal disagreements can be as dangerous to God’s people as external threats (compare with Jesus’ admonition about unity in John 17:21 NASB-95). The verse underscores that ignoring a call for help among the faithful can have grave ramifications and lead to discord.
In the broader biblical narrative, Jephthah stands as an example of a judge who acted boldly in desperate circumstances, yet he also experienced division and conflict from within Israel. Living at a time when leadership rose and fell in cycles, he exemplifies both faith in God’s power and the sorrow that results from disunity among His people.
Jephthah’s frustrated appeal reveals how neglect and internal strife threaten Israel’s cohesion.
This quick synopsis was AI autogenerated utilizing existing TheBibleSays commentaries as the primary source material. To read a related commentary that has been fully developed, see the list below. If there is an issue with this summary please let us know by emailing:[email protected]
Other Relevant Commentaries:
- Exodus 12:29-36 meaning. Verses 29-36 relate the coming of the tenth plague and its immediate aftermath. The time for judgment (on Egypt) and deliverance (for Israel) had come. The LORD Himself went through the land of Egypt at midnight and killed all of the firstborn, even Pharaoh’s. Pharaoh woke up, saw what had happened, and called Moses and Aaron and told them to leave Egypt with all their families and flocks. He also asked Moses for a final blessing.
- Judges 1:22-26 meaning. The tribes Ephraim and Manasseh, with the Lord’s assistance, goes up against Bethel, previously known as Luz. They use a local man to find the city’s entrance, conquer Bethel, and spare the man’s family. The man then relocates to the land of the Hittites, where he builds a new city and names it Luz.
- Judges 2:11-15 meaning. The Israelites fall into idolatry, abandoning the Lord to serve the Baals and Ashtaroth. This disobedience provokes God’s anger, leading to their oppression by enemies and severe distress, as He fulfills the warnings given to them.