Judges 12:1-15
12 Then the men of Eʹphra·im were called together and crossed over northward and said to Jephʹthah: “Why is it that you crossed over to fight against the sons of Amʹmon, and to us you did not issue a call to go with you?+ Your very house we shall burn over you with fire.”+
2 But Jephʹthah said to them: “I became a special contender,* I and my people, with the sons of Amʹmon.+ And I proceeded to call to YOU for aid, and YOU did not save me out of their hand.
3 When I got to see that you were no savior, then I determined to put my soul* in my own palm+ and go over against the sons of Amʹmon.+ At that Jehovah gave them into my hand. So why have YOU come up against me this day to fight against me?”
4 Immediately Jephʹthah collected all the men of Gilʹe·ad together+ and fought Eʹphra·im; and the men of Gilʹe·ad went striking Eʹphra·im down, for they had said: “Men escaped from Eʹphra·im is what YOU are, O Gilʹe·ad, inside of Eʹphra·im, inside of Ma·nasʹseh.”
5 And Gilʹe·ad got to capture the fords of the Jordan+ ahead of Eʹphra·im; and it occurred that when the escaping men of Eʹphra·im would say: “Let me pass over,” then the men of Gilʹe·ad would say to each one: “Are you an Eʹphra·im·ite?” When he would say: “No!”
6 then they would say to him: “Please say Shibʹbo·leth.”*+ And he would say: “Sibʹbo·leth,”* as he was unable* to say the word correctly. And they would lay hold of him and slay him at the fords of the Jordan. So there fell at that time forty-two thousand out of Eʹphra·im.+
7 And Jephʹthah continued to judge Israel for six years, after which Jephʹthah the Gilʹe·ad·ite died and was buried in his city in Gilʹe·ad.*
8 And Ibʹzan from Bethʹle·hem+ began to judge Israel after him.+
9 And he came to have thirty sons and thirty daughters. He sent outside and brought in thirty daughters for his sons from outside.* And he continued to judge Israel for seven years.
10 Then Ibʹzan died and was buried in Bethʹle·hem.
11 And after him Eʹlon the Ze·buʹlu·nite+ began to judge Israel. And he continued to judge Israel ten years.
12 Then Eʹlon the Ze·buʹlu·nite died and was buried in Aiʹja·lon in the land of Zebʹu·lun.
13 And after him Abʹdon the son of Hilʹlel the Pirʹa·thon·ite+ began to judge Israel.
14 And he came to have forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy full-grown asses.+ And he continued to judge Israel eight years.
15 Then Abʹdon the son of Hilʹlel the Pirʹa·thon·ite died and was buried in Pirʹa·thon in the land of Eʹphra·im in the mountain of the A·malʹek·ite.*+
Footnotes
^ Lit., “a man of contention specially.”
^ Or, “my life.” Heb., naph·shiʹ; Gr., psy·khenʹ; Lat., aʹni·mam.
^ “Please say Shibboleth.” Heb., ʼemor-naʼʹ shib·boʹleth. “Shibboleth” means “Ear of Grain”; or, “Flowing Stream.” See Ge 41:5.
^ “Was unable,” in agreement with 12 Heb. mss that literally read, “did not understand how”; M, “would not persevere.”
^ “And he would say: ‘Sibboleth.’ ” Heb., wai·yoʼʹmer sib·boʹleth. “Sibboleth” is the Ephraimite pronunciation of “Shibboleth.”
^ “In his city in Gilead,” LXXBVg; M, “in [one of] the cities of Gilead”; Sy, “in a city of Gilead.”
^ “Outside,” that is, out of other families or tribes (clans).
^ “In Mount Lanak,” LXXA.
