Judges 12

1 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.”

Then the men of Ephraim assembled and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why have you crossed over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you inside!”

2 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.

But Jephthah replied, “My people and I had a serious conflict with the Ammonites, and when I called, you did not save me out of their hands.

3 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?”

When I saw that you would not save me, I risked my life and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come today to fight against me?”

4 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.”

Jephthah then gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are fugitives in Ephraim, living in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh.”

5 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,”

The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim would say, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he answered, “No,”

6 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.

they told him, “Please say Shibboleth.” If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. So at that time 42,000 Ephraimites were killed.

7 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.

Jephthah judged Israel six years, and when he died, he was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

8 After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem served as a judge over Israel.

After Jephthah, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

9 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.

He had thirty sons, as well as thirty daughters whom he gave in marriage to men outside his clan; and for his sons he brought back thirty wives from elsewhere. Ibzan judged Israel seven years.

10 Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem.

Then Ibzan died, and he was buried in Bethlehem.

11 After him Elon the Zebulunite served as judge over Israel. He judged Israel for ten years.

After Ibzan, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel ten years.

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

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

13 After him, Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite served as a judge over Israel.

After Elon, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, judged Israel.

14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons. They rode on seventy donkeys, and he judged Israel for eight years.

He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. And he judged Israel eight years.

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

Then Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, died, and he was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.