Shared Word Translation
Judges 12
Ephraim Confronts Jephthah
The men of Ephraim were called together and crossed northward. They said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the children of Ammon and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire.” Jephthah said to them, “I and my people were in a great dispute with the children of Ammon. I called you, but you did not save me from their hand. When I saw that you would not save me, I put my life in my hand and crossed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?” Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck Ephraim because they had said, “You Gileadites are fugitives from Ephraim, living between Ephraim and Manasseh.”
Shibboleth
The Gileadites seized the fords of the Jordan against Ephraim. When one of the Ephraimite fugitives said, “Let me cross,” the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,” they said to him, “Then say, ‘Shibboleth.’” But he said, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it correctly. Then they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time forty-two thousand of Ephraim fell. Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon
After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He sent his daughters outside his clan in marriage and brought in thirty daughters from outside for his sons. He judged Israel seven years. Then Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem. After him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel. He judged Israel ten years. Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. After him Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel. He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys. He judged Israel eight years. Then Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.