1
Judges 12:1
英文原文
Compare the similar complaint of the Ephraimites to Gideon Judges 8:1, when a civil war was only avoided by Gideon's wise and patriotic moderation. The overhearing pride of Ephraim comes out in both occurrences (see also Joshua 17:14-18).
We will burn thine house upon thee with fire - Compare the fierce threat of the Philistines to Samson's wife Judges 14:15, and the yet fiercer execution Judges 15:6. Burning appears as a mode of capital punishment Genesis 38:24; Joshua 7:25, and as a mode of desperate warfare (Judges 1:8; Judges 20:48; Joshua 8:8, Joshua 8:19, etc.).
2
Judges 12:2
我召你們來的時候……——這情節在主要敘事中並未記載。它很可能發生在耶弗他初次被基列人選立為領袖之時，那時以法蓮大概還不承認他的資格。
英文原文
When I called you ... - This circumstance is not related in the main narrative. It is likely to have occurred when Jephthah was first chosen leader by the Gileadites, and when Ephraim would probably ignore his pretensions.
3
Judges 12:3
我冒著性命——參 1 Samuel 19:5；1 Samuel 28:21。這說法表達在明知的情況下所冒的最大危險。
英文原文
I put my life in my hands - Compare 1 Samuel 19:5; 1 Samuel 28:21. The phrase expresses the utmost possible risk, knowingly incurred.
4
Judges 12:4
因為以法蓮人說……——這段經文極其難解。可譯作：「基列人擊殺以法蓮人，是因他們（基列人）說：你們是以法蓮的逃兵。（基列地在以法蓮與瑪拿西之間；基列人把守約旦河的渡口，不容以法蓮人過去。以法蓮逃兵若說：容我過去，基列人就問他說：你是以法蓮人不是？他若說：不是，基列人就對他說：你說「示播列」……這樣，基列人就在約旦河的渡口殺了他們。）」括號內的一切，都是為了解釋「他們擊殺他們，因為他們說：你們是以法蓮的逃兵」這句簡短的話；也就是說，儘管對方否認，基列人仍查明他們確是以法蓮的逃兵，於是當他們企圖取道基列返回本地時，便毫無憐憫地屠殺了他們。設有渡口的這部分基列地，顯然不在瑪拿西境內，而在迦得境內。Judges 12:6 的「殺」意味著冷血的「屠殺」，而非戰場上的擊殺（見 Jeremiah 39:6）。原文用字是宰殺祭牲的專用字。
英文原文
Because they said ... - This passage is extremely obscure. Render: - "The men of Gilead smote Ephraim, for they (the Gileadites) said, Ye are. the fugitives of Ephraim. (Gilead lies between Ephraim and Manasseh; and Gilead took the fords of Jordan before Ephraim, and it came to pass, when the fugitives of Ephraim said Let me pass over, and the Gileadites asked him, art thou an Ephraimite, and he answered No, Then (the Gileadites) said to him say Shibboleth, etc. So they (the Gileadites) killed them at the fords of Jordan"). All that is included in the parenthesis is explanatory of the brief statement "They smote them, for they said, Ye are the fugitives of Ephraim;" i. e. in spite of denial they ascertained that they were the fugitives of Ephraim, and so pitilessly slaughtered them when they endeavored to return to their own country through Gilead. This part of Gilead, where the fords were, was clearly not in Manasseh, but in Gad. "Slew" Judges 12:6 implies "slaughtering" in cold blood, not killing in battle (see Jeremiah 39:6). The word in the original text is the proper word for slaying animals for sacrifice.
6
Judges 12:6
示播列；他便說西播列——這是約旦河東與河西支派之間方言發音差異的一個有趣實例。這也證明「sh」音是從約旦河東傳入希伯來文的，可能來自亞拉伯人，這音在他們的語言中很常見。
四萬二千人——這數目包括陣亡於戰場的和在渡口被殺的人。
英文原文
Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth - This is a curious instance of dialectic difference of pronunciation between the East and West Jordanic tribes. It is an evidence of the sound "sh" having passed into the Hebrew from the East of Jordan, possibly from the Arabians, with whom the sound is common.
Forty-two thousand - The number includes the slain in battle and those killed at the fords.
8
Judges 12:8
伯利恆人以比讚——有人猜想他就是猶大伯利恆的波阿斯（Ruth 2:1）。另有人根據接下來的西布倫人以倫（Judges 12:11），認為這伯利恆屬西布倫支派（Joshua 19:15）。
英文原文
Ibzan of Bethlehem - Some have fancied him the same as Boaz Ruth 2:1 of Bethlehem-Judah. Others, from the juxtaposition of Elon the Zebulonite Judges 12:11, understand Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebulon Joshua 19:15.
11
Judges 12:11
西布倫人——西布倫支派曾在巴拉的時代顯出他們的勇敢、愛國心和戰功（Judges 4:10；Judges 5:18）。
英文原文
A Zebulonite - The tribe of Zebulon had shown its bravery, patriotism, and prowess in the time of Barak Judges 4:10; Judges 5:18.
13
Judges 12:13
毘拉頓人——因此，他是一位以法蓮人（1 Chronicles 27:14）。這地名至今仍留存於示劍以西六英里的「Feratah」。以比讚、以倫、押頓三人擔任士師、看來前後相繼的二十五年，似乎平靜無事而繁榮安定，因為在他們本國史冊中所保存關於他們的唯一記載，僅涉及其中兩人興旺的家室與安享的尊榮而已。
英文原文
A Pirathonite - He was, therefore, an Ephraimite 1 Chronicles 27:14. Its name still lingers in "Feratah," 6 miles west of Shechem. The 25 years, apparently consecutive, occupied by the judgeship of Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon, seem to have been very uneventful and prosperous, since the only record of them, preserved in the annals of their country, relates to the flourishing families and peaceful magnificence of two of the number.
可比較以法蓮人向基甸所發的類似怨言（Judges 8:1）；那時只因基甸明智而顧全大局的節制，才避免了內戰。以法蓮那種盛氣凌人的驕橫，在這兩次事件中都表露無遺（另見 Joshua 17:14-18）。
我們必用火燒你和你的房屋——可比較非利士人向參孫之妻所發的兇狠威脅（Judges 14:15），以及後來更為兇狠的施行（Judges 15:6）。火焚曾作為處死的方式出現（Genesis 38:24；Joshua 7:25），也作為酷烈的戰爭手段出現（Judges 1:8；Judges 20:48；Joshua 8:8、Joshua 8:19 等）。