Judges 12
1 The men of Ephraim were summoned. They crossed over to the north and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight the Ammonites and not call us to go with you? We’ll burn your house down with you inside!”
2 Jephthah said to them, “My people and I had a great dispute with the Ammonites. I called you, but you did not rescue me from their hands.
3 When I saw that you would not rescue me, I risked my life, crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD handed them over to me. So why have you come up against me today to fight me?”
4 Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck down Ephraim because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are fugitives from Ephraim, in the midst of Ephraim and Manasseh.”
5 Gilead took control of the Jordan crossings leading to Ephraim. Whenever a fugitive from Ephraim said, “Let me cross,” the men of Gilead asked him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” He answered, “No.”
6 Then they said to him, “Say ‘Shibboleth.’” He said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly. Then they seized him and killed him at the Jordan crossings. At that time, forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell.
7 Jephthah judged Israel for six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in the towns of Gilead.
8 After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
9 He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He sent his daughters away and brought thirty young women from outside for his sons. He judged Israel for seven years.
10 Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.
11 After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel. He judged Israel for ten years.
12 Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon, in the land of Zebulun.
13 After him, Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel.
14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He judged Israel for eight years.
15 Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried at Pirathon, in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.
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