Chapter 12

And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together,¹¹ and went⁴ northward, and said⁴ unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over¹ to fight⁹ against the children of Ammon, and didst not call¹ us to go² with thee? we will burn⁴ thine house upon thee with fire.

And Jephthah said⁴ unto them, I and my people were¹ at great strife ⁷³⁷⁹ with the children of Ammon; and when I called⁴ you, ye delivered⁵² me not out of their hands.

And when I saw⁴ that ye delivered⁵⁶ [me] not, I put⁴ my life in my hands, and passed over⁴ against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered⁴ them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up¹ unto me this day, to fight⁹ against me?

Then Jephthah gathered together⁴ all the men of Gilead, and fought¹¹ with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote⁵⁵ Ephraim, because they said,¹ Ye Gileadites [are] fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, [and] among the Manassites.

And the Gileadites took⁴ the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was [so], that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said,⁴ Let me go over;⁴ that the men of Gilead said⁴ unto him, [Art] thou an Ephraimite? If he said,⁴ Nay;

Then said⁴ they unto him, Say³ now Shibboleth: and he said⁴ Sibboleth: for he could not frame⁵⁵ to pronounce¹⁵ [it] right. Then they took⁴ him, and slew⁴ him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell⁴ at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

And Jephthah judged⁴ Israel six years. Then died⁴ Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried¹¹ in [one of] the cities of Gilead.

And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged⁴ Israel.

And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, [whom] he sent¹⁴ abroad, and took in⁵² thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged⁴ Israel seven years.

Then died⁴ Ibzan, and was buried¹¹ at Bethlehem.

And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged⁴ Israel; and he judged⁴ Israel ten years.

And Elon the Zebulonite died,⁴ and was buried¹¹ in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.

And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged⁴ Israel.

And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, ¹¹²¹ that rode⁶ on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged⁴ Israel eight years.

And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died,⁴ and was buried¹¹ in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.