Judges 12 · Verse 3

Judges 12:3

And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?
Judges 12:3, King James Version

Judges 12:3 in other translations

BSBWhen I saw that you would not save me, I risked my life and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come today to fight against me?”
WEBWhen I saw that you didn’t save me, I put my life in my hand, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me today, to fight against me?”
ASVAnd when I saw that ye saved me not, I put my life in my hand, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and Jehovah delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?
YLTand I see that thou art not a saviour, and I put my life in my hand, and pass over unto the Bene-Ammon, and Jehovah giveth them into my hand--and why have ye come up unto me this day to fight against me?'
DARBYAnd when I saw that ye would not save me, I put my life in my hand, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and Jehovah gave them into my hand. Why then are ye come up to me this day, to fight against me?
BBESo when I saw that there was no help to be had from you, I put my life in my hand and went over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord gave them into my hands: why then have you come up to me this day to make war on me?
WebsterAnd when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: why then have ye come up to me this day, to fight against me?

What does Judges 12:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands--A common form of speech in the East for undertaking a duty of imminent peril. This Jephthah had done, having encountered and routed the Ammonites with the aid of his Gileadite volunteers alone; and since the Lord had enabled him to conquer without requiring assistance from any other tribe, why should the Ephraimites take offense? They ought rather to have been delighted and thankful that the war had terminated without their incurring any labor and danger.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 I put my life in my hands - I exposed myself to the greatest difficulties and dangers. But whence did this form of speech arise? Probably from a man's laying hold of his sword, spear, or bow. "This is the defender of my life; on this, and my proper use of it, my life depends." When a man draws his sword against his foe, his enemy will naturally aim at his life; and his sword in his hand is his sole defense. It is then, Fight and conquer, or die. Thus Jephthah took his life in his hand. This phrase occurs in some other places of Scripture; see 1Sam 19:5; 1Sam 28:21. And the words of the Conqueror, Isa 63:5, seem to confirm the above view of the subject: I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered there was none to uphold; therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; i.e., by mine own arm I saved my life, and brought destruction on mine enemies.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Judges 12:1-7

The Ephraimites had the same quarrel with Jephthah as with Gideon. Pride was at the bottom of the quarrel; only by that comes contention. It is ill to fasten names of reproach upon persons or countries, as is common, especially upon those under outward disadvantages. It often occasions quarrels that prove of ill consequence, as it did here. No contentions are so bitter as those between brethren or rivals for honour…

Read the full comment on Judges 12:1-7 →

Judges 12:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וָֽאֶרְאֶ֞הva.'er.'Ehand I sawH7200
כִּֽי\־ki-thatH3588
אֵינְךָ֣'ei.ne.Khanot youH369
מוֹשִׁ֗יעmo.Shi.a'[were] a delivererH3467
וָאָשִׂ֨ימָהva.'a.Si.mahand I put !H7760
נַפְשִׁ֤יnaf.Shilife myH5315
בְכַפִּי֙ve.kha.Piin palm myH3709
וָֽאֶעְבְּרָה֙va.'e'.be.Rahand I passed over !H5674
אֶל\־'el-againstH413
בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] people ofH1121
עַמּ֔וֹןa.MonAmmonH5983
וַיִּתְּנֵ֥םvai.yi.te.Nemand he gave themH5414
יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068
בְּיָדִ֑יbe.ya.Diin hand myH3027
וְלָמָ֞הve.la.Mahand <to> why?H4100
עֲלִיתֶ֥ם'a.li.Temhave you come upH5927
אֵלַ֛י'e.Laiagainst meH413
הַיּ֥וֹםhai.Yomthe dayH3117
הַזֶּ֖הha.Zeh<the> thisH2088
לְהִלָּ֥חֶםle.hi.La.chemto fightH3898
בִּֽי\׃Biagainst <the> me

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Judges 12:3

  • Job 13:14

    Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

  • 1 Samuel 19:5

    For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

  • 1 Samuel 28:21

    And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled, and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which thou spakest unto me.

  • Psalms 119:109

    My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.

  • 2 Chronicles 13:12

    And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the Lord God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.

  • Revelation 12:11

    And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

  • Romans 16:4

    Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

  • Judges 11:27

    Wherefore I have not sinned against thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the Lord the Judge be judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of Ammon.

  • Judges 9:17

    (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
put.
9:17; 1Sa 19:5; 28:21; Job 13:14; Ps 119:109; Ro 16:4; Re 12:11
wherefore.
11:27; 2Ch 13:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Judges 12:2

    And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands.

  • Judges 12:3

    And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

  • Judges 12:4

    Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

Read all of Judges 12

Judges 12:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Viendo pues que no me defendíais, puse mi alma en mi palma, y pasé contra los hijos de Ammón, y Jehová los entregó en mi mano: ¿por qué pues habéis subido hoy contra mí para pelear conmigo?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et quand j’ai vu que vous ne me sauviez pas, j’ai mis ma vie dans ma main, et j’ai passé vers les fils d’Ammon; et l’ Éternel les a livrés en ma main. Et pourquoi êtes-vous montés contre moi en ce jour-ci, pour me faire la guerre?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und als ich sah, daß du nicht helfen wolltest, da setzte ich mein Leben aufs Spiel und zog hin wider die Kinder Ammon; und Jehova gab sie in meine Hand. Warum seid ihr denn an diesem Tage gegen mich heraufgezogen, um wider mich zu streiten?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quod cernens, posui animam meam in manibus meis, transivique ad filios Ammon, et tradidit eos Dominus in manus meas. Quid commerui, ut adversum me consurgatis in prælium?