The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-09-21
SBIBBOLETH.

SHIBBOLETH.
This word is very much used by politicians,
and as every body may not understand ito
meaning, we will just make brief paragraph
about il. Jep,ha, the great Israelite General,
Of whom we read in the Bible, had, at the head
Of the Gileadites, soundly thrashed the
Ephraimites. and they were endeasoring to eff
feet their escape. Jeptha's troops, however,
intercepted them ia their flight across the Jor-
dan, and, as a more certain mode Of discrmi-
mating between friend and foe, the Gileadites
required those whom they met to pronounce
the word Shibboleth. The unfortunate
Ephraimtes, owing to their peculiar pronun-
citation, were unable to utter the aspirate, and
called it Sibboleh. That settled the question
and the fate OF the poor respondent, betraying
him at once to his enemy. From this circum-
stance has the word grown into partizan
watchword.
The quarrel ofthe Ephraimites and the Gill
eadites was very singular one. Jeptha. at
the head of the latter, had recently gained a
complete victory over the Ammonites. 1t ap
pears that before he went to war, he had So
licited these Ephraimites to help him out, and
that they had declined doing go. After his
victory, gained with his Independent forces and
resources, his quondam friends, the Ephraim>
ties, regretting that they had not share in that
victory-which they at first apprehended
would be defeat-pretended that they had
NOT been asked to join Jeptha in the war, and
manifested decided Indignation because, as
they alleged, their aid had not been sought
Indeed, they went SO far as to make this pre-
tended neglect a cause of quarrel and ultimate
war, according to the Bible history; and il is
one of the most remarkable of national diff.
culties. We have some strange ones now.a-
DAYS but we do not remember that any of our
modern nations have sought figh with VIC
torious neighbor, because that neighbor had
not allowed them to take part in his struggle
and to have had share in his victory.
Jeptha, who was sort of Gen. Jackson of
a man-as the Bible has it "a mighty man of
valor''-very straightforward and downright
fatty told these Ephraimites in substance that
they were lying and deceitful race-remind-
ing them of how he had sought their aid, and
how they had given him the cold shoulder
but now that they had come TO quarrel with
him, he did not shrink from collision with
them. He gathered his Gileadites about
him, and not at all fatigued and weakened by
his recent campaign with the Ammonites, he
fought and whipped the Ephraimites, who
beaten. endeavored to regain their own terrific
~. The scripture account says:
sand the Gileadites took the passages of
Jordan before the Ephraimites and il was so,
that when these Ephraimites, which were es-
capped, said, Let me go over that the men of
Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite?
1.-The said Nay;
aThen said they unto him; Say now Sh;b-
boleth And he said Sibboleth: for he could
not frame to pronounce ii right. They then
took him and slew him at the passages of the
Jordan. And there fell at that time of the
Ephraimites forty and two thousand
Avery tremendous slaughter-much exceed
ing the destruction in modern warfare-and the
poor Ephraimites, no doubt, sadly repented
their foolish QUARREL Both political parties of
our country have their Shibboleihs ; but their
contest will not be so sanguinary as that of the
Gileadites and the Ephraimites. However,
when we come to think that the disappointment
Of Office hunters is death to them, we expect
that on one side or the other, there may be in
that way at least forty two thousand put to
death
School BooKs,-We have received from
the Bookstore of Mr.. J. w. Randolph, speci-
men lot of School Books, of Southern origin,
having been published at Macon, Ga, by B.