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.”

And the men of Ephraim assembled [themselves], and passed on to the north, and said to Jephthae, Therefore did you go over to fight with the children of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? we will burn your house over you with fire.

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.

And Jephthae said to them, I and my people and the children of Ammon were very much engaged in war; and I called for you, and you did not save me out of their hand.

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?”

And I saw that you were no helper, and I put my life in my hand, and passed on to the sons of Ammon; and the Lord delivered them into my hand: and therefore are you come up against me this day to fight with 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.”

And Jephthae gathered all the men of Galaad, and fought with Ephraim; and the men of Galaad struck Ephraim, because they that were escaped of Ephraim said, You [are] of Galaad in the midst of Ephraim and in the midst of Manasse.

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,”

And Galaad took the fords of Jordan before Ephraim; and they that escaped of Ephraim said to them, Let us go over: and the men of Galaad said, Are you an Ephrathite? and he said, 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.

Then they said to him, Say now Stachys; and he did not rightly pronounce it so: and they took him, and killed him at the fords of Jordan; and there fell at that time of Ephraim two and forty thousand.

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.

And Jephthae judged Israel six years; and Jephthae the Galaadite died, and was buried in his city Galaad.

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

And after him Abaissan of Bethleem 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.

And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent forth; and he brought in thirty daughters for his sons from without; and he judged Israel seven years.

10 Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem.

And Abaissan died, and was buried in Bethleem.

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

And after him Aelom of Zabulon judged Israel ten years.

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

And Aelom of Zabulon died, and was buried in Aelom in the land of Zabulon.

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

And after him Abdon the son of Ellel, the Pharathonite, judged Israel.

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

And he had forty sons, and thirty grandsons, that rode upon seventy colts: 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.

And Abdon the son of Ellel, the Pharathonite, died, and was buried in Pharathon in the land of Ephraim in the mount of Amalec.