Judges 12 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

Jephthah’s Conflict with Ephraim

Ephraimites Slain by Jephthah

Jdg 12:1Then the men of Ephraim 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!”

Jdg 12:2

Jdg 12:2And 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.

Jdg 12:3

Jdg 12:3“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?”

Jdg 12:4

Jdg 12:4Now 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.”

Jdg 12:5

Jdg 12:5The 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,”

Jdg 12:6

Jdg 12:6then they would say to him, “Then say, ‘Shibboleth’!” And he would say, “Sibboleth,” for he could not 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.

Jdg 12:7

Jdg 12:7And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in among the cities of Gilead.

Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon

Jdg 12:8

Jdg 12:8After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

Jdg 12:9

Jdg 12:9He 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.

Jdg 12:10

Jdg 12:10Then Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem.

Jdg 12:11

Jdg 12:11After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel. He judged Israel ten years.

Jdg 12:12

Jdg 12:12And Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.

Jdg 12:13

Jdg 12:13After him, Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel.

Jdg 12:14

Jdg 12:14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy young donkeys. He judged Israel eight years.

Jdg 12:15

Jdg 12:15Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mountains of the Amalekites.

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