You Can’t Beat the Real Thing

Judges Chapter 12, the Strange and the Spectacular

Verses: 15

Is It Read At Synagogue?: No.

Famous Quotes/Phrases: This might be the first recorded case of a password; as men from the tribe of Ephraim attempt to hide their identities while crossing the Jordan River, the Gileadite guards ask them to prove their identity by saying the word “shibboleth”. True Ephraimites, we are told, are unable to pronounce it correctly, and when they say “sibboleth”, the Gileadites kill them. Much more recently, this story is referenced in an episode of The West Wing when President Bartlett attempts to determine whether a group of people are who they say they are.

Basic Plot: Speaking of biblical firsts, this chapter might constitute the first Israelite civil war. Poor Jephthah, who can’t catch a break after defeating the Ammonites, are accosted by the men of Ephraim, who are offended that Jephthah hadn’t called them to fight alongside him. Jephthah says that he had indeed called upon them, and then attacks them, leading to the scenes described above.

Jephthah’s era as judge of Israel is relatively short — six years long, all told. Afterward, three more judges — Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon — come and go.

What’s Strange: There is reason to believe that this chapter might have originally been linked chronologically to the start of the next book of the Hebrew Bible, I Samuel. In Thomas Römer’s book The So-called Deuteronomistic History: A Sociological, Historical and Literary Introduction, the author argues that this chapter’s stated location, in and around the tribe of Ephraim, is a better match for the story of the birth of Samuel than anything in the second half of the book of Judges.

What’s Spectacular: These days, a shibboleth refers not just to the infamous anecdote in this chapter, but to any phrase that distinguishes one group of people from another. An example I’ve discovered in my life has to do with how I refer to a carbonated soft drink. Growing up in Denver, I called it either “pop” or “soda pop”. Later, during the 10 years in which I lived in New York City and New Jersey, I adapted to calling it “soda”. Then, upon moving to the South, I was advised that most locals just call it “Coke”. And now, honestly, I don’t know what to call it.

As inconsequential as all that may be, I feel that shibboleths can be a joyful way to celebrate cultural uniqueness. It’s remarkable how so many subsections of the United States use different terms to identify the same thing. As much as we may value the notion of “speaking the same language”, simple linguistic nuances can enable a group of people a sense of pride for where they came from and where they live. While we strive in many ways to be more united, it doesn’t mean we have to be exactly the same.

Shabbat Shalom!