Judges 12

1Then the men of Ephraim were called together, and they crossed over to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites and not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down over you with fire.”

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

3When I saw that you were not delivering us, I put my life in my hand and crossed over against the Ammonites, and Yahweh gave them into my hand. So why have you come up against me today to fight against me?

4Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck Ephraim down, because they had said, “You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim, in the midst of Ephraim and in the midst of Manasseh.”

5And Gilead captured the fords of the Jordan against Ephraim. And whenever the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead would say to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,”

6Then they said to him, “Please say ‘Shibboleth.’” But he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not say it that way. So they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time forty-two thousand from Ephraim fell.

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

8After him, Ibzan from Bethlehem judged Israel.

9He had thirty sons, and thirty daughters he sent away, and he brought in thirty daughters from outside for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.

10Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.

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

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

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

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

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