Judges 12

1 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.

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 did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house around you with fire!”

2 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.

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

3 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?

When I saw that you did not 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 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.

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 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;

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 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.

then they said to him, “Now say ‘Shibboleth;’” and he said “Sibboleth”; for he could not 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 Yiphthach judged Israel six years; and then died Yiphthach the Gil'adite, and was buried in [one of] the cities of Gil'ad.

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

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

After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

9 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.

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

Ibzan died, and was buried at Bethlehem.

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

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

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

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

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

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

14 And he had forty sons and thirty grandsons, that rode on seventy ass-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 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.

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.