Judges 12

1 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.

The men of Ephraim were gathered together, and passed northward; and they said to Jephthah, “Why did you pass over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didn’t call us to go with you? We will burn your house around you with fire!”

2 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.

Jephthah said to them, “I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, you didn’t save me out of their hand.

3 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?

When I saw that you didn’t save me, I put my life in my hand, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me today, to fight against me?”

4 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.

Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, “You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the middle of Ephraim, and in the middle of Manasseh.”

5 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.

The Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. Whenever a fugitive of Ephraim said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No;”

6 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.

then they said to him, “Now say ‘Shibboleth;’” and he said “Sibboleth”; for he couldn’t manage to pronounce it correctly, then they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time, forty-two thousand of Ephraim fell.

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

Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died, and was buried in the cities of Gilead.

8 And after him Abaissan of Bethleem judged Israel.

After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

9 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.

He had thirty sons. He sent his thirty daughters outside his clan, and he brought in thirty daughters from outside his clan for his sons. He judged Israel seven years.

10 And Abaissan died, and was buried in Bethleem.

Ibzan died, and was buried at Bethlehem.

11 And after him Aelom of Zabulon judged Israel ten years.

After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.

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

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

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

After him, Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel.

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

He had forty sons and thirty sons’ sons who rode on seventy donkey colts. He judged Israel eight years.

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

Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.