Judges 12

1 Then the Ephraimites were called up and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why did you go and fight the Ammonites without summoning us to go with you? We're going to burn your house down with you inside it!”

And the men of Ephraim were called together, and went northward, and said unto Yiphthach, Wherefore didst thou pass over to fight against the children of 'Ammon, and didst not call for us to go with thee? thy house will we burn over thee with fire.

2 “I was a man with a great fight on my hands,” Jephthah replied. “I and my people were fighting the Ammonites. When I called on you for help, you didn't come and help save me from them.

And Yiphthach said unto them, I and my people were greatly engaged in strife with the children of 'Ammon; and I called you, but ye helped me not out of their hand.

3 When I realized that you weren't going to help, I took my life in my hands and went to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord made me victorious over them. So why have you come here today to attack me?”

And when I saw that ye helped me not, I put my life in my hand, and passed over to the children of 'Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hand; and why then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

4 Jephthah summoned all of the men of Gilead and fought against the Ephraimites. The men of Gilead killed them because the Ephraimites taunted them, saying, “You Gileadites are nothing more than escapees living among Ephraim and Manasseh.”

Then Yiphthach gathered together all the men of Gil'ad, and fought with Ephraim; and the men of Gil'ad smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye are fugitives of Ephraim: Gil'ad is in the midst, between Ephraim and Menasseh.

5 The Gileadites took control of the fords over the Jordan River that led to Ephraim's territory, and when an Ephraimite escapee from the battle would come and ask, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites would question him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he answered, “No,”

And the Gil'adites seized on the passages of the Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it came to pass, when the Ephraimites who had escaped said, Let me pass over; that the men of Gil'ad said unto him, Art thou an Ephrathite? and if he said, No;

6 they would tell him, “Say Shibboleth.” If he was from Ephraim he would say “Sibboleth” because he couldn't pronounce it right, and they'd grab him and kill him there at the Jordan fords. A total of 42,000 were killed at that time.

Then said they unto him, Do say, Shibboleth; but when he said, Sibboleth, and was not able to pronounce it correctly, they laid hold of him and slew him on the passages of the Jordan; and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

7 Jephthah led Israel as judge for six years. Then he died and was buried in one of Gilead's towns.

And Yiphthach judged Israel six years; and then died Yiphthach the Gil'adite, and was buried in [one of] the cities of Gil'ad.

8 After Jephthah, Ibzan of Bethlehem led Israel as a judge.

And after him there judged Israel Ibzan of Beth-lechem.

9 He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He married off his daughters to men of other tribes, and he brought in thirty wives from other tribes to marry his sons. Ibzan led Israel as judge for seven years.

And he had thirty sons; and thirty daughters he sent abroad, and thirty daughters he brought in for his sons from abroad: and he judged Israel seven years.

10 Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.

Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Beth-lechem.

11 After him, Elon the Zebulunite led Israel as judge for ten years.

And after him there judged Israel Elon the Zebulonite; and he judged Israel ten years.

12 Then he died and was buried at Aijalon in the territory of Zebulun.

Then died Elon the Zebulonite, and was buried in Ayalon in the country of Zebulun.

13 After him, Abdon, son of Hillel, from Pirathon, led Israel as judge.

And after him there judged Israel 'Abdon the son of Hillel the Pir'athonite.

14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode seventy donkeys. He led Israel as judge for eight years.

And he had forty sons and thirty grandsons, that rode on seventy ass-colts; and he judged Israel eight years.

15 Then he died and was buried at Pirathon in the territory of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.

Then died 'Abdon the son of Hillel the Pir'athonite, and was buried in Pir'athon in the land of Ephraim, in the mountain of the 'Amalekites.