He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havvoth Jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead.
Once more the Ephraimites were offended that they, the strongest tribe in Israel, had not been invited to the battle (cf. 8:1-3). They crossed the Jordan River into the eastern territory to complain to Jephthah and to fight if necessary (12:1).Jephthah replied that for years the eastern tribes had been asking for Ephraim’s help, but had never received it. Why should they ask for it again (2-3)? The Ephraimites replied by accusing the eastern tribes of having run away from Israel; but when fighting broke out between the two groups, the Ephraimites were the ones running away. Jephthah’s soldiers cut off their escape at the Jordan. The Ephraimites’ attempt to disguise themselves and slip through the checkpoint was not successful, because their speech betrayed them as Ephraimites (4-6).Having liberated his people, Jephthah then ruled over them, but after only six years he died (7). Three subsequent judges are listed, but little is known of them. From the sizes of their households it appears that they were people of wealth and influence (8-15).