5. Passages of Jordan. Only through these fords could the men of Ephraim quickly cross the Jordan to their own territory.
Ephraimites which were escaped. In Hebrew these are exactly the same words with which the Ephraimites had so shortly before taunted the men of Gileadâ“fugitives of Ephraim.” Now the Ephraimites are the fugitives.
Art thou an Ephraimite? There was considerable traffic across the Jordan fords. The object of the questioning was to distinguish between the fugitives and the harmless travelers and merchants. The men who had boasted of their tribe shortly before were now willing to deny any connection with it in order to save their lives.