Judges 12

1 Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!”

And the men of Ephraim assembled [themselves], and passed on to the north, and said to Jephthae, Therefore did you go over to fight with the children of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? we will burn your house over you with fire.

2 But Jephthah replied, “My people and I had a serious conflict with the Ammonites, and when I called, you did not save me out of their hands.

And Jephthae said to them, I and my people and the children of Ammon were very much engaged in war; and I called for you, and you did not save me out of their hand.

3 When I saw that you would not save me, I risked my life and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come today to fight against me?”

And I saw that you were no helper, and I put my life in my hand, and passed on to the sons of Ammon; and the Lord delivered them into my hand: and therefore are you come up against me this day to fight with me?

4 Jephthah then gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim, living in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh.”

And Jephthae gathered all the men of Galaad, and fought with Ephraim; and the men of Galaad struck Ephraim, because they that were escaped of Ephraim said, You [are] of Galaad in the midst of Ephraim and in the midst of Manasse.

5 The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim would say, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he answered, “No,”

And Galaad took the fords of Jordan before Ephraim; and they that escaped of Ephraim said to them, Let us go over: and the men of Galaad said, Are you an Ephrathite? and he said, No.

6 they told him, “Please say Shibboleth.” If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. So at that time 42,000 Ephraimites were killed.

Then they said to him, Say now Stachys; and he did not rightly pronounce it so: and they took him, and killed him at the fords of Jordan; and there fell at that time of Ephraim two and forty thousand.

7 Jephthah judged Israel six years, and when he died, he was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

And Jephthae judged Israel six years; and Jephthae the Galaadite died, and was buried in his city Galaad.

8 After Jephthah, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

And after him Abaissan of Bethleem judged Israel.

9 He had thirty sons, as well as thirty daughters whom he gave in marriage to men outside his clan; and for his sons he brought back thirty wives from elsewhere. Ibzan judged Israel seven years.

And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent forth; and he brought in thirty daughters for his sons from without; and he judged Israel seven years.

10 Then Ibzan died, and he was buried in Bethlehem.

And Abaissan died, and was buried in Bethleem.

11 After Ibzan, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel ten years.

And after him Aelom of Zabulon judged Israel ten years.

12 Then Elon the Zebulunite died, and he was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.

And Aelom of Zabulon died, and was buried in Aelom in the land of Zabulon.

13 After Elon, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, judged Israel.

And after him Abdon the son of Ellel, the Pharathonite, judged Israel.

14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. And he judged Israel eight years.

And he had forty sons, and thirty grandsons, that rode upon seventy colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

15 Then Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, died, and he was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.

And Abdon the son of Ellel, the Pharathonite, died, and was buried in Pharathon in the land of Ephraim in the mount of Amalec.