Judges 12

Shibboleth: Some men of Ephraim come to Jephthah and ask why he didn't invite them to fight the Ammonites with him. He says he offered, but when "he saw that they would not effect rescue" he did it himself. He calls in their enemies from Gilead and they explained that they took the ford and anyone who didn't pronounce "Shibboleth" right, would be killed, and so they killed 42,000 Ephraimites. That would definitely slow them down.

My notes: "Shibboleth means "an ear of grain." But this Hebrew word can also mean "flood water." Apparently the Gileadites engaged the Ephraimites in conversation about the "flood water" of the Jordan. Differences in enunciating the initial sibilant of the Hebrew word betrayed different tribal affinities."

After judging for 6 years, Jephthah dies.

After Jephthah, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. He has 30 sons and 30 daughters who marry outside the family (outside Israel?). After judging for 7 years, he dies.

After Ibzan, Elon judges Israel for ten years, and he dies.

After Elon, Abdon judges Israel for 8 years (he has 40 sons who rose on 70 saddle-asses!), and he dies.

Judges 11

Jephthah (This one breaks my heart.) Jephthah was born to Gilead of "a harlot." Gilead's wife who had borne him sons, drove Jephthah away without inheritance, and he joined a gang. When the Ammonites warred on Israel, the elders of Gilead persuade him to fight, saying if he goes, he'll become the leader. Jephthah sends several messaged to the leaders of the Ammonites asking to pass through, but they are all ignored.

The spirit of the Lord comes upon Jephthah and he vows to God that if the Lord delivers the Ammonites into his power, whoever comes out of the doors of his house to meet him upon his return shall belong to the Lord. I shall offer him up as a holocaust" (sacrifice).

When he returns after defeating the Ammonites, his only daughter comes forth. This really puts Jephthah in a bind. He tells his daughter what he must do, and she's willing to do as what his vow requires, but she wants to go to the mountains for 2 months to "mourn her virginity" (My notes: "to bear children was woman's greatest pride; to be childless was regarded as a greate misfortune. Hence Jephthah's daughter asks permission to mourn the fact that she will be put to death before she can bear children.")

She returns and accepts her fate. Celebrating her death becomes a custom.

Several things about this story. It reflects Abraham and Isaac. (But this time the father isn't stopped, but allowed to make the sacrifice). The daughter also prefigures Christ, who died for the salvation of all, and Mary, who is celebrated for her virginity.

Judges 10

Tola (an Issacharite) judged Israel after Abimelech for 24 years. Then he died.

Jair (a Gileadite) judged Israel for 22 years. He had 30 sons who rode 30 saddle-asses and possessed 30 cities (called Havvoth Jair). Then Jair died.

Then the Israelites offend the Lord and are oppressed for 18 years by the (Bobby?) Ammonites. They cry out to the Lord and cast out the foreign gods so that the Lord grieves for them.

The Ammonites gather for war and encamp in Gilead, and the princes of Gilead say, "The one who begins the war against the Ammonites shall be the leader of Gilead."

Judges 9

Abimelech is made king and was horrible ruler, often engaged in war with his own subjects.

My notes: "Just as the noble trees refused the honor of royalty and were made subject to a mean plant, so did Abimelech of less noble birth than the seventy sons of Gideon now tyrannize over the people."

He ransacked many towns, including Thebez, where a woman threw a millstone on his head. He ordered a soldier to kill him with his sword, so that it might not be said he had been killed by the hand of a woman.

Judges 8

Gideon pacifies the Ephraimites. Succoth and Penuel refuse to deliver Gideon's army. Zebah and Zalmunna are taken. S & Penuel are destroyed. Gideon avenges his brethren's death on Zebah and Zalmunna. He refuses goverment and Midian is subdued.

The land has a rest of 40 years. Gideon has a son named Abimelech (among his 70 sons!), and again the Isrealites fall into idolatry and ingratitude.

Judges 7

God tells Gideon to take 300 out of 10,000 possible men to defeat the Mideanites.

Judges 6

After 40 years of rest in the land, the Isrealites offend the Lord again so that they are held by Midian for 7 years. They ask the Lord for help and they send Gideon of Manassah. An angel appears to him and tells him he must deliver the Isrealites. Gidean is humble and the Lord works some miracles to help him overcome his fear. When he placed the woolen fleece on the ground, he found it covered with dew the next morning, while the ground all around it was dry. Again he places the fleece on the ground; it is dry while the ground is wet with dew.

Judges 5

The Canticle of Deborah

This is the song that Deborah sings about the victory.

Judges 4

Deborah and Barak

After Ehud dies, the Isrealites again offend the Lord and the Lord sends a new judge, Deborah (wife of Lappidoth) to summon Barak to defeat Sisera. After the Isrealites defeat them, Sisera flees on foot to Jael who famously plants him to the ground with a tent-peg. My notes: "It is to be noted that the sacred author merely records the fact of the murder of Sisera. We must not construe this as approval of Jael's action."