Richter 12 | King James Version

1 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and 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 thine 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 delivered me not out of their hands.

3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD 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 Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

5 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so , that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that 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 took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites 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 Bethlehem judged Israel.

9 And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.

10 Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.

11 And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.

12 And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.

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

14 And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, 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 mount of the Amalekites.

King James Bible (1769). Public Domain. Please note the following exceptions for use and publication in the United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press

New International Reader’s Version

Jephthah wins the battle over Ephraim

1 The troops of Ephraim were called out. The troops went across the River Jordan to Zaphon. When they arrived, they said to Jephthah, ‘You went to fight against the Ammonites. Why didn’t you ask us to go with you? We’re going to burn down your house over your head.’

2 Jephthah answered, ‘I and my people were taking part in a great struggle. We were at war with the Ammonites. I asked you for help. But you didn’t come to save me from their power.

3 I saw that you wouldn’t help. So I put my own life in danger. I went across the Jordan to fight against the Ammonites. The LORD helped me win the battle over them. So why have you come up today to fight against me?’

4 Then Jephthah called the men of Gilead together. They fought against Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck them down. The people of Ephraim had said, ‘You people of Gilead are nothing but deserters from Ephraim and Manasseh.’

5 The men of Gilead captured the places where people go across the River Jordan to get to Ephraim. Some men of Ephraim weren’t killed in the battle. When they arrived at the river, they would say, ‘Let us go across.’ Then the men of Gilead would ask each one, ‘Are you from Ephraim?’ Suppose he replied, ‘No’.

6 Then they would say, ‘All right. Say “Shibboleth”. ’ If he said ‘Sibboleth’, the way he said the word would give him away. He couldn’t say it correctly. So they would grab him. Then they would kill him at one of the places where people go across the Jordan. At that time, 42,000 men of Ephraim were killed.

7 Jephthah led Israel for six years. Then he died. He was buried in a town in Gilead. Jephthah was from the land of Gilead.

Ibzan, Elon and Abdon

8 After Jephthah, Ibzan from Bethlehem led Israel.

9 He had 30 sons and 30 daughters. He gave his daughters to be married to men who were outside his family group. He brought in 30 young women to be married to his sons. Those women also came from outside his family group. Ibzan led Israel for seven years.

10 Then he died. He was buried in Bethlehem.

11 After Ibzan, Elon led Israel. He was from the tribe of Zebulun. Elon led Israel for ten years.

12 Then he died. He was buried in Aijalon. It was in the land of Zebulun.

13 After Elon, Abdon led Israel. Abdon was the son of Hillel. Abdon was from Pirathon.

14 He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons. They rode on 70 donkeys. Abdon led Israel for eight years.

15 Then he died. He was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim. Pirathon was in the hill country of the Amalekites. Abdon was the son of Hillel.

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