Judges 12:1-6
assembled <06817> [gathered. Heb. were called. Wherefore.]
burn .... down <08313> [we will burn.]
people <05971> [I and my.]
<07760> [put.]
up <05927> [wherefore.]
<0582> [and the men.]
refugees <06412> [fugitives.]
said .... Say Shibboleth .... said <0559 07641> [Say now.]
Shibboleth <07641> [Shibboleth. which signifieth a stream, or flood.]
{Shibboleth} also means an ear of corn, (Job 24:24,) and {sibboleth} signifies a burden, (Ex 6:6;) and a heavy burden they were obliged to bear who could not pronounce this test letter. It is well known that several nations cannot pronounce certain letters. The sound of th cannot be pronounced by the Persians, no more than by some of our Continental neighbours; though it is a common sound among the Arabians. To this day, many of the German Jews cannot articulate [t] th, for which they substitute ss; thus for {baith,} a house, they say {baiss.}
fell dead <05307> [there fell.]
forty-two <0705> [forty.]
{Arb„im ooshenayim aleph,} "forty and two thousand." Here the [w,] and, may mean simple addition; and this number may denote 2,040 and not 42,000. At the last census of the Israelites (Nu 26:37) the whole tribe of Ephraim only amounted to 32,500, compared with which this last number appears far too great.
