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 thy house upon thee with fire.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.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 Jehovah delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, 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.5 And the Gileadites took the fords of the 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;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 the Jordan. And there fell at that time of Ephraim forty and two thousand.

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

8 And after him Ibzan of Beth-lehem 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.10 And Ibzan died, and was buried at Beth-lehem.11 And after him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.12 And Elon the Zebulunite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.

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

Judges 12

Civil Strife Mars the Victory

1 The Ephraimites assembledt and crossed over to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why did you go and fightt with the Ammonites without askingt us to go with you? We will burn your house down right over you!”t
2 Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were entangled in controversy with the Ammonites.t I asked for your help, but you did not deliver me from their power.t3 When I saw that you were not going to help,t I risked my lifet and advanced againstt the Ammonites, and the Lord handed them over to me. Why have you come upt to fight with me today?”4 Jephthah assembled all the men of Gilead and they fought with Ephraim. The men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because the Ephraimites insulted them, saying,t “You Gileadites are refugees in Ephraim, living within Ephraim’s and Manasseh’s territory.”s5 The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan Rivert opposite Ephraim.t Whenever an Ephraimite fugitivet said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead askedt him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,”6 then they said to him, “Say ‘Shibboleth!’”s If he said, “Sibboleth” (and could not pronounce the wordt correctly), they grabbed him and executed him right there at the fords of the Jordan. On that day forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell dead.

7 Jephthah ledt Israel for six years; then het died and was buried in his city in Gilead.s

Order Restored

8 After him Ibzan of Bethlehems ledt Israel.9 He had thirty sons. He arranged for thirty of his daughters to be married outside his extended family,t and he arranged for thirty young women to be brought from outside as wives for his sons.t Ibzant ledt Israel for seven years;

10 then het died and was buried in Bethlehem.
11 After him Elon the Zebulunite ledt Israel for ten years.t

12 Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
13 After him Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite ledt Israel.14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel for eight years.

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