Judges 12

1 And the men of Ephraim were gathered together, and passed northward; and they said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.

But behold there arose a sedition in Ephraim. And passing towards the north, they said to Jephte: When thou wentest to fight against the children of Ammon, why wouldst thou not call us, that we might go with thee? Therefore we will burn thy house.

2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye saved me not out of their hand.

And he answered them: I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon: and I called you to assist me, and you would not do it.

3 And when I saw that ye saved me not, I put my life in my hand, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

And when I saw this, I put my life in my own hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hands. What have I deserved, that you should rise up to fight against me?

4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye are fugitives of Ephraim, ye Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim, [and] in the midst of Manasseh.

Then calling to him all the men of Galaad, he fought against Ephraim: and the men of Galaad defeated Ephraim, because he had said: Galaad is a fugitive of Ephraim, and dwelleth in the midst of Ephraim and Manasses.

5 And the Gileadites took the fords of Jordan against the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when [any of] the fugitives of Ephraim said, Let me go over, the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;

And the Galaadites secured the fords of the Jordan, by which Ephraim was to return. And when any one of the number of Ephraim came thither in the flight, and said: I beseech you let me pass: the Galaadites said to him: Art thou not an Ephraimite? If he said: I am not:

6 then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth; for he could not frame to pronounce it right; then they laid hold on him, and slew him at the fords of Jordan: and there fell at that time of Ephraim forty and two thousand.

They asked him: Say then, Scibboleth, which is interpreted, An ear of corn. But he answered, Sibboleth, not being able to express an ear of corn by the same letter. Then presently they took him and killed him in the very passage of the Jordan. And there fell at that time of Ephraim two and forty thousand.

7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in [one of] the cities of Gilead.

And Jephte the Galaadite judged Israel six years: and he died, and was buried in his city of Galaad.

8 And after him Ibzan of Beth-lehem judged Israel.

After him Abesan of Bethlehem judged Israel:

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

He had thirty sons, and as many daughters, whom he sent abroad, and gave to husbands, and took wives for his sons of the same number, bringing them into his house. And he judged Israel seven years:

10 And Ibzan died, and was buried at Beth-lehem.

And he died, and was buried in Bethlehem.

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

To him succeeded Ahialon a Zabulonite: and he judged Israel ten years:

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

And he died, and was buried in Zabulon.

13 And after him Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel.

After him Abdon, the son of Illel, a Pharathonite, judged Israel:

14 And he had forty sons and thirty sons’ sons, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

And he had forty sons, and of them thirty grandsons, mounted upon seventy ass colts, and he judged Israel eight years:

15 And 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.

And he died, and was buried in Pharathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of Amalech.