Judges 12

1. And the men of Ephraim were called together and went northward, and said to Jephthah, “Why did you go over to fight against the children of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house upon you with fire.”

2. And Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were at great strife with the children of Ammon. And when I called you, you did not deliver me out of their hands.

3. When I saw that you did not deliver me, I took my life in my hand and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand, and why have you come up against me, to fight against me today?”

4. And Jephthah called up all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck Ephraim because they said, “You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites.”

5. And the Gileadites took the fords of Jordan before the Ephraimites. And it came to pass that when one of those Ephraimites who had escaped said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” And he said, “No.”

6. And they said to him, “Please say Shibboleth.” And he said, “Sibboleth,” for he could not manage to pronounce it right. Then they took him and killed him at the passages of Jordan. And there fell at that time forty-two thousand of the Ephraimites.

7. And Jephthah judged Israel six years. And Jephthah the Gileadite died 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 Ibzan died 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 land of Zebulun.

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

14. And he had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkey 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.