| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire.” | 1The men of Ephraim were called together and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, "Why have you crossed over to fight against the Ammonites but didn't call us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you in it!" |
| 2And Jephthah said to them, “I and my people had a great dispute with the Ammonites, and when I called you, you did not save me from their hand. | 2Then Jephthah said to them, "My people and I had a serious conflict with the Ammonites. So I called for you, but you didn't deliver me from their power. |
| 3And when I saw that you would not save me, I took my life in my hand and crossed over against the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?” | 3When I saw that you weren't going to deliver me, I took my life in my own hands and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD handed them over to me. Why then have you come today to fight against me?" |
| 4Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. And the men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, “You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim and Manasseh.” | 4Then Jephthah gathered all of the men of Gilead. They fought and defeated Ephraim, because Ephraim had said, "You Gileadites are Ephraimite fugitives in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh." |
| 5And the Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. And when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” When he said, “No,” | 5The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim. Whenever a fugitive from Ephraim said, "Let me cross over," the Gileadites asked him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he answered, "No," |
| 6they said to him, “Then say Shibboleth,” and he said, “Sibboleth,” for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 of the Ephraimites fell. | 6they told him, "Please say Shibboleth." If he said, "Sibboleth," because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 from Ephraim died. |
| 7Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in his city in Gilead. | 7Jephthah judged Israel six years, and when he died, he was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. |
| 8After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. | 8Ibzan, who was from Bethlehem, judged Israel after Jephthah |
| 9He had thirty sons, and thirty daughters he gave in marriage outside his clan, and thirty daughters he brought in from outside for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. | 9and had 30 sons. He gave his 30 daughters in marriage to men outside the tribe and brought back 30 wives for his sons from outside the tribe. Ibzan judged Israel seven years, |
| 10Then Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem. | 10and when he died, he was buried in Bethlehem. |
| 11After him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel, and he judged Israel ten years. | 11Elon, who was from Zebulun, judged Israel after Ibzan. He judged Israel 10 years, |
| 12Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. | 12and when he died, he was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. |
| 13After him Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel. | 13After Elon, Abdon son of Hillel, who was from Pirathon, judged Israel. |
| 14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys, and he judged Israel eight years. | 14He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons, who rode on 70 donkeys. Abdon judged Israel eight years, |
| 15Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites. | 15and when he died, he was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites. |
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