King James Bible

New Living Translation

Jephthah Defeats Ephraim

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.

1

Ephraim Fights with Jephthah

Then the people of Ephraim mobilized an army and crossed over the Jordan River to Zaphon. They sent this message to Jephthah: “Why didn’t you call for us to help you fight against the Ammonites? We are going to burn down your house with you in it!”

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.

2

Jephthah replied, “I summoned you at the beginning of the dispute, but you refused to come! You failed to help us in our struggle against Ammon.

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?

3

So when I realized you weren’t coming, I risked my life and went to battle without you, and the LORD gave me victory over the Ammonites. So why have you now come to fight 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.

4

The people of Ephraim responded, “You men of Gilead are nothing more than fugitives from Ephraim and Manasseh.” So Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and attacked the men of Ephraim and defeated them.

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;

5

Jephthah captured the shallow crossings of the Jordan River, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim tried to go back across, the men of Gilead would challenge him. “Are you a member of the tribe of Ephraim?” they would ask. If the man said, “No, I’m not,”

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.

6

they would tell him to say “Shibboleth.” If he was from Ephraim, he would say “Sibboleth,” because people from Ephraim cannot pronounce the word correctly. Then they would take him and kill him at the shallow crossings of the Jordan. In all, 42,000 Ephraimites were killed at that time.

7

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

7

Jephthah judged Israel for six years. When he died, he was buried in one of the towns of Gilead.

8

Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon

And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

8

Ibzan Becomes Israel’s Judge

After Jephthah died, Ibzan from 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.

9

He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He sent his daughters to marry men outside his clan, and he brought in thirty young women from outside his clan to marry his sons. Ibzan judged Israel for seven years.

10

Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.

10

When he died, he was buried at Bethlehem.

11

And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.

11

Elon Becomes Israel’s Judge

After Ibzan died, Elon from the tribe of Zebulun judged Israel for ten years.

12

And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.

12

When he died, he was buried at Aijalon in Zebulun.

13

And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.

13

Abdon Becomes Israel’s Judge

After Elon died, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, 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.

14

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

15

When he died, he was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.

Parallel

King James Bible

New Living Translation

Judges 12

Judges 12