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.

A call went out to the men of Ephraim; they passed through Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you pass through to fight against the people of Ammon and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down over you.”

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 in a great conflict with the people of Ammon. When I called you, you did not rescue me from them.

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 rescue me, When I saw that you did not rescue me, I put my life in my own hand and passed through against the people of Ammon, and Yahweh gave me victory. Why have you come to fight against me today?”

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.

Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead and he fought against Ephraim. The men of Gilead attacked the men of Ephraim because they said, “You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim—in Ephraim and 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 captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim. When any of the survivors of Ephraim said, “Let me go over the river,” the men of Gilead would say 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 would say to him, “Say: Shibboleth,” and if he said “Sibboleth” (for he could not pronounce the word correctly), the Gileadites would seize him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed at that time.

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 served as a judge over Israel for six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

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

After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem served as a judge over 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 gave away thirty daughters in marriage, and he brought in thirty daughters of other men for his sons, from the outside. He judged Israel for 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 served as judge over Israel. He judged Israel for 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 son of Hillel the Pirathonite served as a judge over 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 grandsons. They rode on seventy donkeys, and he judged Israel for 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 son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim in the hill country of the Amalekites.