 1 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 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 Jephthah called up all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites. 5 The Gileadites took the fords of Jordan before the Ephraimites. And when one of those Ephraimites who had escaped said, Let me go over, the men of Gilead said to him, Are you an Ephraimite? He said, No. 6 They said to him, Please say Shibboleth. He said, Sibboleth, for he could not manage to pronounce it right. Then they took him and killed him at the passages of Jordan. There fell at that time 42,000 of the Ephraimites. 7 Jephthah judged Israel six years. And Jephthah the Gileadite died, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. 8 After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. 9 He had 30 sons and 30 daughters whom he sent abroad, and took in 30 daughters from abroad for his sons. He judged Israel seven years. 10 Then Ibzan died, and was buried at Bethlehem. 11 After him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel. He judged Israel ten years. 12 Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon, the land of Zebulun. 13 After him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. 14 He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons, who rode on 70 donkey colts. He judged Israel eight years. 15 Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.
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