Judges

Judges 12:5–6

⁵The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim would say, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?”

If he answered, “No,” ⁶they told him, “Please say Shibboleth.”

If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. So at that time 42,000 Ephraimites were killed.

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Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Judges 12:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The Gileadites	גִּלְעָ֛ד	gil·‘āḏ	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1568 Gilad
captured	וַיִּלְכֹּ֥ד	way·yil·kōḏ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3920 capture, seize, take (by lot)
the fords	מַעְבְּר֥וֹת	ma‘·bə·rō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H4569 ford, pass, passing
of the Jordan	הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן	hay·yar·dên	Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3383 Jordan
leading to Ephraim	לְאֶפְרָ֑יִם	lə·’ep̄·rā·yim	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H669 Ephraim
and	וְֽ֠הָיָה	wə·hā·yāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
whenever	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
a fugitive	פְּלִיטֵ֤י	pə·lî·ṭê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H6412 escaped one, fugitive
from Ephraim	אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙	’ep̄·ra·yim	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H669 Ephraim
would say	יֹאמְר֞וּ	yō·mə·rū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
Let me cross over	אֶעֱבֹ֔רָה	’e·‘ĕ·ḇō·rāh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular	H5674 pass over, through, by, pass on
the Gileadites	גִלְעָ֛ד	ḡil·‘āḏ	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1568 Gilad
would ask	וַיֹּ֨אמְרוּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
him	ל֧וֹ	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
Are you	אַ֖תָּה	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
an Ephraimite	הַֽאֶפְרָתִ֥י	ha·’ep̄·rā·ṯî	Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H673 Ephrathite
If he answered	וַיֹּ֥אמֶֽר׀	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
No	לֹֽא׃	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not

Judges 12:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
they told	וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ	way·yō·mə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
him	לוֹ֩	lōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
Please	נָ֨א	nā	Interjection	H4994 I (we) pray, now
say	אֱמָר־	’ĕ·mār-	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Shibboleth	שִׁבֹּ֜לֶת	šib·bō·leṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H7641 stream, ear of grain, branch
If he said	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Sibboleth	סִבֹּ֗לֶת	sib·bō·leṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H5451 ear of wheat
because he could	יָכִין֙	yā·ḵîn	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3559 be firm
not	וְלֹ֤א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
pronounce	לְדַבֵּ֣ר	lə·ḏab·bêr	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H1696 speak
it correctly	כֵּ֔ן	kên	Adjective - masculine singular	H3651 right, veritable, honest
they seized	וַיֹּאחֲז֣וּ	way·yō·ḥă·zū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H270 grasp, take hold, take possession
him	אוֹת֔וֹ	’ō·w·ṯōw	Direct object marker; third person masculine singular	H853 mark of the accusative
and killed him	וַיִּשְׁחָט֖וּהוּ	way·yiš·ḥā·ṭū·hū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural; third person masculine singular	H7819 slaughter, beat
at	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the fords	מַעְבְּר֣וֹת	ma‘·bə·rō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H4569 ford, pass, passing
of the Jordan	הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן	hay·yar·dên	Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H3383 Jordan
So at that	הַהִיא֙	ha·hî	Article; Pronoun - third person feminine singular	H1931 he, she
time	בָּעֵ֤ת	bā·‘êṯ	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
42,000	אַרְבָּעִ֥ים	’ar·bā·‘îm	Number - common plural	H705 forty
Ephraimites	מֵֽאֶפְרַ֔יִם	mê·’ep̄·ra·yim	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H669 Ephraim
were killed	וַיִּפֹּ֞ל	way·yip·pōl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5307 fall, lie

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Judges 12:5 Judges 3:28 · Joshua 22:11

Judges 12:6 Ecclesiastes 10:12 · Matthew 12:25

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.