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.
Ver. 4. Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead.] When he saw they were set upon it, and that they would needs quarrel with their friends, and not with their faults, he set light by their threats, Minorum strepitus armorum crepitus and resolved to chastise their insolency with the edge of the sword. When there is no hope of curing, men must fall to cutting. a
Ye Gileadites are fugitives.] b Or, Abjects, mongrels, the refuse of both tribes: a brand of dishonour, and therefore heinously taken, and heavily revenged. Such opprobrious and reviling speeches, Leviter volant, non, leviter violant. Jephthah and his soldiers might haply here be glanced at, because he was forced to flee from his father's house.
Among the Ephraimites,] q.d., The scum of those two noble tribes, fellows of no fashion. But the meanest are not to be slighted; since
“ A cane non magno saepe tenetar aper. ”
a Immedicabile vulnus ense recidendum.
b Or, the Gileadites being got between the Ephraimites and Manassites, the Ephraimites said, Ye are but the fugitives of Ephraim.