Judges 12

1 And the men of Ephraim were called together, and passed over northward, —and said unto Jephthah—Wherefore didst thou pass over to do battle with the sons of Ammon, and, for us, didst not call, to go with thee? Thy house, will we consume over thee with fire.

And the men of Ephraim are called together, and pass over northward, and say to Jephthah, “Why have you passed over to fight against the sons of Ammon, and have not called on us to go with you? We burn your house with fire over you.”

2 And Jephthah said unto them, Great strife, had, I and my people, even with the sons of Ammon; but, when I cried unto you for help, ye saved me not out of their hand.

And Jephthah says to them, “I have been a man of great strife (I and my people) with the sons of Ammon, and I call you, and you have not saved me out of their hand,

3 So, when I saw that thou wast not going to save, then put I my life in my hand, and passed over against the sons of Ammon, and Yahweh delivered them into my hand. Wherefore, then, have ye come up against me this day, to fight against me?

and I see that you are not a savior, and I put my life in my hand, and pass over to the sons of Ammon, and YHWH gives them into my hand—and why have you come up to me this day to fight against me?”

4 And Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim, —and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said—Fugitives of Ephraim, are, ye, O ye Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim, in the midst of Manasseh.

And Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead, and fights with Ephraim, and the men of Gilead strike Ephraim, because they said, “You Gileadites [are] fugitives of Ephraim, in the midst of Ephraim—in the midst of Manasseh.”

5 And the Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan, against the Ephraimites, —and so it was, that, when the fugitives of Ephraim said, Let me pass over, the men of Gilead said to him, An Ephraimite, art thou? and, if he said—Nay!

And Gilead captures the passages of the Jordan to Ephraim, and it has been, when [any of] the fugitives of Ephraim say, “Let me pass over,” and the men of Gilead say to him, “[Are] you an Ephraimite?” And he says, “No”;

6 they said to him, Come now, say Shibboleth, and, if he said Sibboleth, and he could not take heed to speak in that manner, then laid they hold on him, and slew him at the fords of the Jordan, —and there fell, at that time, of the Ephraimites, forty-two thousand.

that they say to him, “Now say, Shibboleth”; and he says, “Sibboleth,” and is not prepared to speak right—and they seize him, and slaughter him at the passages of the Jordan, and there fall at that time, of Ephraim, forty-two chiefs.

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

And Jephthah judged Israel [for] six years, and Jephthah the Gileadite dies, and is buried in [one of] the cities of Gilead.

8 And there judged Israel, after him, Ibzan of Bethlehem.

And after him Ibzan of Beth-Lehem judges Israel,

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

and he has thirty sons, and thirty daughters he gave away [in marriage], and thirty daughters he brought in from outside for his sons; and he judges Israel [for] seven years.

10 And Ibzan died, and was buried in Bethlehem.

And Ibzan dies, and is buried in Beth-Lehem.

11 And, after him, did Elon the Zebulunite judge Israel, —and he judged Israel, ten years.

And after him Elon the Zebulunite judges Israel, and he judges Israel [for] ten years,

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

and Elon the Zebulunite dies, and is buried in Aijalon, in the land of Zebulun.

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

And after him, Abdon son of Hillel, the Pirathonite, judges Israel,

14 And so it was, he had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy ass colts, —and he judged Israel eight years.

and he has forty sons, and thirty grandsons, riding on seventy donkey-colts, and he judges Israel [for] eight years.

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

And Abdon son of Hillel, the Pirathonite, dies, and is buried in Pirathon, in the land of Ephraim, in the hill-country of the Amalekite.