Judges 12

1 `Lo! forsothe discencioun roos in Effraym; for whi thei, that passiden ayens the north, seiden to Jepte, Whi yedist thou to batel ayens the sones of Amon, and noldist clepe vs, that we schulden go with thee? Therfor we schulen brenne thin hows.

And the me of Ephraim gathered themselues together, and went Northwarde, and saide vnto Iphtah, Wherefore wentest thou to fight against the children of Ammon, and diddest not call vs to goe with thee? we will therefore burne thine house vpon thee with fire.

2 To whiche he answeride, Greet strijf was to me and to my puple ayens the sones of Amon, and Y clepide you, that ye schulden `yyue help to me, and ye nolden do.

And Iphtah said vnto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon, and when I called you, ye deliuered me not out of their handes.

3 `Which thing Y siy, and puttide my lijf in myn hondis; and Y passide to the sones of Amon, and `the Lord bitook hem in to myn hondis; what haue Y disseruyd, that ye ryse togidere ayens me in to batel?

So when I sawe that ye deliuered me not, I put my life in mine hands, and went vpon the children of Ammon: so the Lord deliuered them into mine handes. Wherefore then are ye come vpon me nowe to fight against me?

4 Therfor whanne alle the men of Galaad weren clepid to hym, he fauyt ayens Effraym; and the men of Galaad smytiden Effraym; for he seide, Galaad is `fugitif ether exilid fro Effraym, and dwellith in the myddis of Effraym and of Manasses.

Then Iphtah gathered all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are runnagates of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

5 And the men of Galaad ocupieden the forthis of Jordan, bi whiche Effraym schulden turne ayen. And whanne a man fleynge of the noumbre of Effraym hadde come to tho forthis, and hadde seid, Y biseche, that thou suffre me passe; men of Galaad seiden to hym, Whether thou art a man of Effraym? And whanne he seide, Y am not,

Also the Gileadites tooke the passages of Iorden before the Ephraimites, and when the Ephraimites that were escaped, saide, Let me passe, then the men of Gilead said vnto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay,

6 thei axiden hym, Seie thou therfor Sebolech, `whiche is interpretid, `an eer of corn. Which answeride, Thebolech, and myyte not brynge forth an eer of corn bi the same lettre. And anoon thei strangeliden hym takun in thilke passyng of Jordan; and two and fourti thousynde of Effraym felden doun in that tyme.

Then said they vnto him, Say nowe Shibboleth: and he said, Sibboleth: for he could not so pronounce: then they tooke him, and slewe him at the passages of Iorden: and there fel at that time of the Ephraimites two and fourtie thousand.

7 And so Jepte, `a man of Galaad, demyde Israel sixe yeer; and he `was deed, and biried in his citee Galaad.

And Iphtah iudged Israel sixe yeere: then dyed Iphtah the Gileadite, and was buryed in one of the cities of Gilead.

8 Abethsan of Bethleem, that hadde thretti sones, and so many douytris, demyde Israel aftir Jepte;

After him Ibzan of Beth-lehem iudged Israel,

9 whiche douytris he sente out, and yaf to hosebondis, and he took wyues to hise sones of the same noumbre, and brouyte in to hys hows; which demyde Israel seuene yeer;

Who had thirtie sonnes and thirtie daughters, which he sent out, and tooke in thirtie daughters from abroade for his sonnes. and he iudged Israel seuen yeere.

10 and he `was deed, and biried in Bethleem.

Then Ibzan died, and was buryed at Bethlehem.

11 Whos successour was Hailon of Zabulon; and he demyde Israel ten yeer;

And after him iudged Israel Elon, a Zebulonite, and he iudged Israel tenne yeere.

12 and he was deed, and biried in Zabulon.

Then Elon the Zebulonite dyed, and was buryed in Aijalon in the countrey of Zebulun.

13 Aftir hym Abdon, the sone of Ellel, of Pharaton, demyde Israel;

And after him Abdon the sonne of Hillel the Pirathonite iudged Israel.

14 which Abdon hadde fourti sones, and of hem thretti sones, stiynge on seuenti coltis of femal assis, `that is, mulis, and he demyde Israel eiyte yeer;

And he had fourty sonnes and thirtie nephewes that rode on seuentie assecoltes: and he iudged Israel eight yeeres.

15 and he `was deed, and biried in Pharaton, in the loond of Effraym, in the hil of Amalech.

Then dyed Abdon the sonne of Hillel the Pirathonite, and was buryed in Pirathon, in ye lande of Ephraim, in the Mount of the Amalekites.