Judges 12

1 The men of Ephraim were gathered together, and passed northward; and they said to Jephthah, “Why did you pass over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didn’t call us to go with you? We will burn your house around you with fire!”

But behold there arose a sedition in Ephraim. And passing towards the north, they said to Jephte: When thou wentest to fight against the children of Ammon, why wouldst thou not call us, that we might go with thee? Therefore we will burn thy house.

2 Jephthah said to them, “I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, you didn’t save me out of their hand.

And he answered them: I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon: and I called you to assist me, and you would not do it.

3 When I saw that you didn’t save me, I put my life in my hand, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and Yahweh delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me today, to fight against me?”

And when I saw this, I put my life in my own hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hands. What have I deserved, that you should rise up to fight against me?

4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, “You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the middle of Ephraim, and in the middle of Manasseh.”

Then calling to him all the men of Galaad, he fought against Ephraim: and the men of Galaad defeated Ephraim, because he had said: Galaad is a fugitive of Ephraim, and dwelleth in the midst of Ephraim and Manasses.

5 The Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. Whenever a fugitive of Ephraim said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No;”

And the Galaadites secured the fords of the Jordan, by which Ephraim was to return. And when any one of the number of Ephraim came thither in the flight, and said: I beseech you let me pass: the Galaadites said to him: Art thou not an Ephraimite? If he said: I am not:

6 then they said to him, “Now say ‘Shibboleth;’” and he said “Sibboleth”; for he couldn’t manage to pronounce it correctly, then they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time, forty-two thousand of Ephraim fell.

They asked him: Say then, Scibboleth, which is interpreted, An ear of corn. But he answered, Sibboleth, not being able to express an ear of corn by the same letter. Then presently they took him and killed him in the very passage of the Jordan. And there fell at that time of Ephraim two and forty thousand.

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

And Jephte the Galaadite judged Israel six years: and he died, and was buried in his city of Galaad.

8 After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

After him Abesan of Bethlehem judged Israel:

9 He had thirty sons. He sent his thirty daughters outside his clan, and he brought in thirty daughters from outside his clan for his sons. He judged Israel seven years.

He had thirty sons, and as many daughters, whom he sent abroad, and gave to husbands, and took wives for his sons of the same number, bringing them into his house. And he judged Israel seven years:

10 Ibzan died, and was buried at Bethlehem.

And he died, and was buried in Bethlehem.

11 After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.

To him succeeded Ahialon a Zabulonite: and he judged Israel ten years:

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

And he died, and was buried in Zabulon.

13 After him, Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel.

After him Abdon, the son of Illel, a Pharathonite, judged Israel:

14 He had forty sons and thirty sons’ sons who rode on seventy donkey colts. He judged Israel eight years.

And he had forty sons, and of them thirty grandsons, mounted upon seventy ass colts, and he judged Israel eight years:

15 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.

And he died, and was buried in Pharathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of Amalech.