Judges
Chapter 12
1 The men of Ephraim came together, went north, and said to Jephthah, “Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without inviting us? We will burn down your house on top of you.”
2 Jephthah told them, “My people and I had big trouble with the children of Ammon; and when I called for your help, you did not rescue me from them.”
3 When I saw you didn’t save me, I risked my life and confronted the Ammonites. God gave me victory over them. So why have you come to fight me today?
4 Jephthah brought together all the men of Gilead and battled Ephraim: Gilead’s men defeated Ephraim because they were called runaways of Ephraim living among the people of Ephraim and Manasseh.
5 The Gileadites captured the Jordan River crossings before the Ephraimites arrived. When any surviving Ephraimites asked to cross over, the Gileadites would ask, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he answered, “No,”
6 They told him, “Say ‘Shibboleth,’” but he said “Sibboleth,” because he couldn’t say it correctly. Then they captured him and killed him at the Jordan River crossings. At that time, 42,000 Ephraimites died.
7 Jephthah was a judge over Israel for six years. Then he died and was buried in a city of Gilead.
8 After him, Ibzan from Bethlehem led Israel.
9 He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He sent his daughters to marry men from other places and brought in thirty women from other places for his sons to marry. He was a leader of Israel for seven years.
10 Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.
11 After him, Elon from Zebulon led Israel; he led for ten years.
12 Elon from Zebulun died and was buried in Aijalon, in Zebulun land.
13 After him, Abdon, Hillel’s son from Pirathon, became Israel’s judge.
14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys, and he was Israel’s leader for eight years.
15 Abdon, Hillel’s son from Pirathon, died and was buried in Pirathon, in Ephraim’s territory, on the Amalekites’ hill.