4 Then Jephthah got together all the men of Gilead and made war on Ephraim; and the men of Gilead overcame Ephraim. 5 And the Gileadites took the crossing-places of Jordan against the Ephraimites; and when any of the men of Ephraim who had gone in flight said, let me go over; the men of Gilead said to him, Are you an Ephraimite? And if he said, No; 6 Then they said to him, Now say Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth, and was not able to say it in the right way; then they took him and put him to death at the crossing-places of Jordan; and at that time forty-two thousand Ephraimites were put to death. 7 Now Jephthah was judge of Israel for six years. And Jephthah the Gileadite came to his death, and his body was put to rest in his town, Mizpeh of Gilead.

Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon Judge Israel

8 And after him, Ibzan of Beth-lehem was judge of Israel. 9 He had thirty sons, and thirty daughters whom he sent to other places, and he got thirty wives from other places for his sons. And he was judge of Israel for seven years. 10 And Ibzan came to his death and his body was put to rest at Beth-lehem. 11 And after him, Elon the Zebulonite was judge of Israel; and he was judge of Israel for ten years. 12 And Elon the Zebulonite came to his death, and his body was put to rest in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. 13 And after him, Abdon, the son of Hillel, the Pirathonite, was judge of Israel. 14 He had forty sons and thirty sons' sons who went on seventy young asses; and he was judge of Israel for eight years. 15 And Abdon, the son of Hillel, came to his death, and his body was put to rest in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill-country of the Amalekites.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Judges 12:4-15

Commentary on Judges 12:1-7

(Read Judges 12:1-7)

The Ephraimites had the same quarrel with Jephthah as with Gideon. Pride was at the bottom of the quarrel; only by that comes contention. It is ill to fasten names of reproach upon persons or countries, as is common, especially upon those under outward disadvantages. It often occasions quarrels that prove of ill consequence, as it did here. No contentions are so bitter as those between brethren or rivals for honour. What need we have to watch and pray against evil tempers! May the Lord incline all his people to follow after things which make for peace!

Commentary on Judges 12:8-15

(Read Judges 12:8-15)

We have here a short account of three more of the judges of Israel. The happiest life of individuals, and the happiest state of society, is that which affords the fewest remarkable events. To live in credit and quiet, to be peacefully useful to those around us, to possess a clear conscience; but, above all, and without which nothing can avail, to enjoy communion with God our Saviour while we live, and to die at peace with God and man, form the substance of all that a wise man can desire.