Judges

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.

1The men of Ephraim came together and went north. They asked Jephthah, "Why did you go fight Ammon without us? We will burn your house down with you inside!"

2And 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.

2Jephthah answered them, "My people and I were in a hard fight with Ammon. I called you for help, but you did not come and save us."

3And 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"When you did not come, I risked my own life. I went to fight Ammon, and the LORD helped me win. So why have you come today to fight me?"

4Then 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.

4So Jephthah called together all the men of Gilead. They fought Ephraim and beat them. This was because Ephraim had said, "You Gileadites ran away from us. You are just leftovers living in our land."

5And 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;

5The men of Gilead took over the shallow places where people crossed the Jordan River. When a man from Ephraim tried to run away, he would say, "Let me cross." The men of Gilead would ask, "Are you from Ephraim?" If he said, "No,"

NoteThe Jordan River had shallow spots where people could walk across. Whoever held those spots controlled who got through.

6Then 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.

6then they said, "Say the word Shibboleth." He would say "Sibboleth," because he could not say it right. Then they grabbed him and killed him at the river crossing. That day 42,000 men of Ephraim died.

NoteShibboleth is a real Hebrew word. The men of Ephraim spoke a little differently and could not make the "sh" sound in it. The word itself did not matter. It was a test to find out where a man came from.

7And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

7Jephthah led Israel as a judge for six years. Then Jephthah of Gilead died. He was buried in one of the towns of Gilead.

8And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

8After Jephthah, a man named Ibzan from Bethlehem led Israel as a judge.

9And 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.

9He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He sent his daughters away to marry men from other families. He brought in thirty young women from other families to marry his sons. Ibzan led Israel for seven years.

10Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.

10Then Ibzan died, and he was buried in Bethlehem.

11And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.

11After him, Elon from the family of Zebulun led Israel. He was their judge for ten years.

12And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.

12Then Elon of Zebulun died. He was buried in Aijalon, in the land of Zebulun.

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

13After him, Abdon son of Hillel led Israel. He came from the town of Pirathon.

14And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons. They rode on seventy young donkeys. He led Israel for eight years.

NoteThe King James Bible says "nephews," but in 1611 that word meant grandsons. It also says "threescore and ten," which means seventy.

15And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.

15Then Abdon son of Hillel from Pirathon died. He was buried in Pirathon, in the land of Ephraim, up in the hills where the Amalekites lived.