Say, now, Shibboleth— The word has two senses in the Hebrew; namely, an ear of corn, and floods of water, Psalms 69:2. It is used in the latter sense here; and the test which the Gileadites put the Ephraimites to was to bid them say, "Let me pass over the water." The pronunciation of words of the same language varies greatly in different parts. An Athenian spoke Greek as differently from a Dorian as a northern man speaks English from an inhabitant of the south: it is no wonder, therefore, that the Ephraimites could not pronounce the word in the same manner as those did who inhabited the countries on the other side of Jordan. St. Peter was known for a Galilean by his accent in the court of Pilate's palace. See Matthew 26:73.
Related Commentaries of Judges 12:6
Judges 12:6
6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.