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.
