And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.
The men of Ephraim gathered together and went north to confront Jephthah. They said to him, 'Why did you go to fight against the Ammonites without calling us to join you? We're going to burn down your house with you in it!'
The Ephraimites were furious with Jephthah for not including them in his victorious battle against the Ammonites and threatened to kill him.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs after Jephthah's successful military campaign against the Ammonites, where he led the Gileadites to victory. The tribe of Ephraim, one of the most powerful and prideful tribes in Israel, felt slighted by not being invited to share in the glory and spoils of war. This reflects the ongoing tribal tensions and rivalries that plagued Israel during the period of the judges.
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