Judges 12

1The men of Ephraim were called out, and they crossed over to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down over you!”

2Jephthah said to them, “I and my people were in a bitter struggle with the Ammonites. I called for you, but you did not save me from their hand.

3When I saw that you would not save me, I took my life in my hands and crossed over to the Ammonites, and Yahweh gave them into my hand. So why have you come up against me today to fight me?”

4Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck down Ephraim, because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are nothing but fugitives from Ephraim, living in the middle of Ephraim and Manasseh.”

5The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim. Whenever a fugitive from Ephraim said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,”

6they would say to him, “Then say ‘Shibboleth.’” He would say “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly. Then they would seize him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time forty-two thousand men of Ephraim fell.

7Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in one of the towns of Gilead.

8After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

9He had thirty sons. He gave thirty daughters in marriage outside his clan, and he brought in thirty young women from outside for his sons. He judged Israel seven years.

10Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.

11After him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel. He judged Israel ten years.

12Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.

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

14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He judged Israel eight years.

15Then Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.