Judg 12:1 | KingComments | STEP | The end of the history of Jephthah is not very lofty and not worth imitating. Jephthah is not acting in gentleness here, but hard. Many people die as a result. He is not guided by love, but seeks his own honor. The Ephraimites have not changed since the events in the beginning of Judges 8. There Gideon met the Ephraimites in humbleness. Unfortunately, they did not realize how selfish they were. This shows that a good treatment does not have to lead to a better self-knowledge. Their proud attitude, stemming from their position, by which they think they have a right to a place of dignity, is still present. They complain here again because they do not think they have been treated with due respect. A sin that is not sincerely confessed, reappears sooner or later. They appear to have sunk even deeper here. In Judges 8 they have at least done something ( ), here they have done nothing at all. In their wounded pride they threaten to burn Jephthah. They still cannot cope with the fact that others are used and they are not. This contrasts enormously with the mind of Paul ( ).

‏ Judges 12:1

Introduction

The end of the history of Jephthah is not very lofty and not worth imitating. Jephthah is not acting in gentleness here, but hard. Many people die as a result. He is not guided by love, but seeks his own honor.

The Cause of the Conflict

The Ephraimites have not changed since the events in the beginning of Judges 8. There Gideon met the Ephraimites in humbleness. Unfortunately, they did not realize how selfish they were. This shows that a good treatment does not have to lead to a better self-knowledge. Their proud attitude, stemming from their position, by which they think they have a right to a place of dignity, is still present.

They complain here again because they do not think they have been treated with due respect. A sin that is not sincerely confessed, reappears sooner or later. They appear to have sunk even deeper here. In Judges 8 they have at least done something (Jdg 8:2), here they have done nothing at all. In their wounded pride they threaten to burn Jephthah. They still cannot cope with the fact that others are used and they are not. This contrasts enormously with the mind of Paul (Phil 1:15-18).