Judges 12

1 And behold, a sedition rose up in Ephraim. Then, while passing by toward the north, they said to Jephthah: “When you were going to fight against the sons of Ammon, why were you unwilling to summon us, so that we might go with you? Therefore, we will burn down your house.”

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 And he answered them: “I and my people were in a great conflict against the sons of Ammon. And I called you, so that you might offer assistance to me. And you were not willing to do so.

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 And discerning this, I put my life in my own hands, and I crossed to the sons of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hands. What am I guilty of, that you would rise up in battle against me?”

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 And so, calling to himself all the men of Gilead, he fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck down Ephraim, because he had said, “Gilead is a fugitive from Ephraim, and he lives in the midst of 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 And the Gileadites occupied the fords of the Jordan, along which Ephraim was to return. And when anyone from the number of Ephraim had arrived, fleeing, and had said, “I beg that you permit me to pass,” the Gileadites would say to him, “Could you be an Ephraimite?” And if he said, “I am not,”

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 they would ask him, then say ‘Shibboleth,’ which is translated as ‘ear of grain.’ But he would answer ‘Sibboleth,’ not being able to express the word for an ear of grain in the same letters. And immediately apprehending him, they would cut his throat, at the same crossing point of the Jordan. And in that time of Ephraim, forty-two thousand fell.

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 And so Jephthah, the Gileadite, judged Israel for six years. And he died, and he was buried in his city in 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 judged Israel.

And after him Abaissan of Bethleem judged Israel.

9 He had thirty sons, and the same number of daughters, whom he sent away to be given to husbands. And he accepted wives for his sons of the same number, bringing them into his house. And 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 And he died, and he was buried in Bethlehem.

And Abaissan died, and was buried in Bethleem.

11 After him succeeded Elon, a Zebulunite. And he judged Israel for ten years.

And after him Aelom of Zabulon judged Israel ten years.

12 And he died, and he was buried in Zebulun.

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

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

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

14 And he had forty sons, and from them thirty grandsons, all riding upon seventy young 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 And he died, and he was buried at Pirathon, in the land of Ephraim, on the mountain of Amalek.

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