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.”

Or gli uomini di Efraim si radunarono, passarono a Tsafon, e dissero a Jefte: “Perché sei andato a combattere contro i figliuoli di Ammon e non ci hai chiamati ad andar teco? Noi bruceremo la tua casa e te con essa”.

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.

Jefte rispose loro: “Io e il mio popolo abbiamo avuto gran contesa coi figliuoli di Ammon; e quando v’ho chiamati in aiuto, non mi avete liberato dalle loro mani.

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?”

E vedendo che voi non venivate in mio soccorso, ho posto a repentaglio la mia vita, ho marciato contro i figliuoli di Ammon, e l’Eterno me li ha dati nelle mani. Perché dunque siete saliti oggi contro di me per muovermi guerra?”

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.”

Poi Jefte, radunati tutti gli uomini di Galaad, diè battaglia ad Efraim; e gli uomini di Galaad sconfissero gli Efraimiti, perché questi dicevano: “Voi, Galaaditi, siete de’ fuggiaschi d’Efraim, in mezzo ad Efraim e in mezzo a 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,”

E i Galaaditi intercettarono i guadi del Giordano agli Efraimiti; e quando uno de’ fuggiaschi d’Efraim diceva: “Lasciatemi passare”, gli uomini di Galaad gli chiedevano: “Sei tu un Efraimita?” Se quello rispondeva: “No”, i Galaaditi gli dicevano:

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.

“Ebbene, di’ Scibboleth”; e quello diceva “Sibboleth”, senza fare attenzione a pronunziar bene; allora lo pigliavano e lo scannavano presso i guadi del Giordano. E perirono in quel tempo quarantaduemila uomini d’Efraim.

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

Jefte fu giudice d’Israele per sei anni. Poi Jefte, il Galaadita, morì e fu sepolto in una delle città di Galaad.

8 After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

Dopo di lui fu giudice d’Israele Ibtsan di Bethlehem,

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.

che ebbe trenta figliuoli, maritò fuori trenta figliuole, condusse di fuori trenta fanciulle per i suoi figliuoli. Fu giudice d’Israele per sette anni.

10 And he died, and he was buried in Bethlehem.

Poi Ibtsan morì e fu sepolto a Bethlehem.

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

Dopo di lui fu giudice d’Israele Elon, lo Zabulonita; fu giudice d’Israele per dieci anni.

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

Poi Elon, lo Zabulonita, morì e fu sepolto ad Aialon, nel paese di Zabulon.

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

Dopo di lui fu giudice d’Israele Abdon, figliuolo di Hillel, il Pirathonita.

14 And he had forty sons, and from them thirty grandsons, all riding upon seventy young donkeys. And he judged Israel for eight years.

Ebbe quaranta figliuoli e trenta nipoti, i quali cavalcavano settanta asinelli. Fu giudice d’Israele per otto anni.

15 And he died, and he was buried at Pirathon, in the land of Ephraim, on the mountain of Amalek.

Poi Abdon, figliuolo di Hillel, il Pirathonita, morì e fu sepolto a Pirathon, nel paese di Efraim, sul monte Amalek.