The
Ephraimites were a proud people. And proud people are contentious people.
Ephraim was the younger son of Joseph. Being blessed above his elder brother,
Manasseh, the tribe became the head tribe of the house of Joseph occupying the
centre of Palestine. Ephraim was suspicious of all attempts and still more of
every success that threatened its pride and preeminence. We first saw their
contentious attitude when Gideon defeated the Midianites (Judges 8:1). It was
only the meekness of Gideon’s answer that avoided a war with his own brethren.
The
Ephraimites were up to no good again in this occasion with Jephthah. As in the
episode towards Gideon, they blamed Jephthah for not inviting them in the war
with the Ammonites. It was wounded pride, I reckon. How could the honour of
defeating the Ammonites go to the Gileadites? And look how they despised the
Gildeaites. They said: “Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the
Ephraimites, and among the Manassites” (verse 4). It was a racist remark.
One version renders it this way: “You people of Gilead are nothing more than
refugees from Ephraim. You even live on land that belongs to the tribes of
Ephraim and Manasseh.” They even threatened to burn down Jepthah’s house. They
were big bullies.
Unfortunately,
the Ephraimites didn’t know who they were talking to. Jephthah was unlike
Gideon; he belonged to the mob (Judges 11:3). He would not take the insult and
threat of the Ephraimites lying down. He did not even endeavour to pacify them,
as Gideon had done in the like case. He let his fists did the talking. He
fought and humbled the Ephraimites.
There
is an idiom which goes like this: “Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles
you.” Simply put, it means, "Never look for trouble till trouble finds
you." The Ephraimites went looking for trouble and got hurt as a result.
The
Ephraimites were proud. And Solomon says: “Pride goeth before destruction,
and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
The
pretext that Jepthah had fought against Ammon without asking the Ephraimites to
join him was not the real reason they picked a quarrel with him. And even
without an invitation, Ephraim should know Jephthah and the Gileadites were
fighting the Ammonites. Pride was at the bottom of the quarrel. Only by that
comes contention (Proverbs 13:10). They were jealous that the Gileadites were
victorious and were honoured for it. Proud men think all the honour should go
to them. Pride and jealousy are sworn brothers.
Christ
called us to be humble (Luke 14:10-11). God wants us to honour those who
deserve honour (Romans 13:7). Paul exhorts: “Let nothing be done through
strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than
themselves” (Philippians 2:3).
The
word “vainglory” means empty pride, self-conceit, having a vain opinion of
oneself. The problem with the Ephraimites was they were exceedingly proud; they
thought too highly on themselves and despised others. And being proud people,
they were jealous of their brethren’s success and honour. Contentions are
started often by people who are proud and jealous.
Let
us rejoice, instead of feeling jealous, when a brother is honoured: “And
whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be
honoured, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26). Let us
be thankful and honour a brother who has done well.
Jimmy Lau
Psa
119:97 Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
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