New Living Translation

New King James Version

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!”

1

Jephthah’s Conflict with Ephraim

Then the men of Ephraim [a]gathered together, crossed over toward Zaphon, and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the people of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you with fire!”

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.

2

And Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were in a great struggle with the people of Ammon; and when I called you, you did not deliver me out of their hands.

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?”

3

So when I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hands and crossed over against the people of Ammon; and the Lord delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?”

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.

4

Now Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, “You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites.”

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,”

5

The Gileadites seized the fords of the Jordan before the Ephraimites arrived. And when any Ephraimite who escaped said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead would say to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,”

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.

6

then they would say to him, “Then say, ‘Shibboleth’!”[b] And he would say, “Sibboleth,” for he could not [c]pronounce it right. Then they would take him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. There fell at that time forty-two thousand Ephraimites.

7

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

7

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

8

Ibzan Becomes Israel’s Judge

After Jephthah died, Ibzan from Bethlehem judged Israel.

8

Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon

After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

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.

9

He had thirty sons. And he gave away thirty daughters in marriage, and brought in thirty daughters from elsewhere for his sons. He judged Israel seven years.

10

When he died, he was buried at Bethlehem.

10

Then Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem.

11

Elon Becomes Israel’s Judge

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

11

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

12

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

12

And Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.

13

Abdon Becomes Israel’s Judge

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

13

After him, Abdon the 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.

14

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

15

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

15

Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mountains of the Amalekites.

Parallel

New Living Translation

New King James Version

Judges 12

Judges 12