Judges 12:1-15

Judges 12:1-15
The end of the Jephthah narrative and three more minor judges.

The Ephraimites seem to be a right lot of complainers. They never make the battle and also manage to whinge about it.
Jepthah is weary of all this, and sometimes we get weary of the constant drip of complaining. But this is not good.
The people of the Lord are divided, over how you pronounce a word! And the difference is between an 's' sound and an 'sh' sound!! 42,000 are slaughtered over a fight that started because of a victory!
If I didn't already believe that sin was in built, or hard wired, into humans before reading this story, I would by the end of it.
When we daily pray, 'Lead us not into temptation' do we consciously include the temptation to un just complaining? The temptation to aggressive responses to opposition? The temptation to divide and weaken the body of Christ?
What a dreadful story. How patient is the Lord that he would remain faithful to his people and his promises. Far more faithful than we will ever be or than we could ever deserve.

The brief account of the three judges that conclude this chapter are further examples of the goodness of the Lord.