| English Standard Version | New Living Translation |
| 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.” | 1Then the people of Ephraim mobilized an army and crossed over the Jordan River to Zaphon. They sent this message to Jephthah: “Why didn’t you call for us to help you fight against the Ammonites? We are going to burn down your house 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. | 2Jephthah replied, “I summoned you at the beginning of the dispute, but you refused to come! You failed to help us in our struggle against Ammon. |
| 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?” | 3So when I realized you weren’t coming, I risked my life and went to battle without you, and the LORD gave me victory over the Ammonites. So why have you now come to fight 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.” | 4The people of Ephraim responded, “You men of Gilead are nothing more than fugitives from Ephraim and Manasseh.” So Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and attacked the men of Ephraim and defeated them. |
| 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,” | 5Jephthah captured the shallow crossings of the Jordan River, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim tried to go back across, the men of Gilead would challenge him. “Are you a member of the tribe of Ephraim?” they would ask. If the man said, “No, I’m not,” |
| 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 would tell him to say “Shibboleth.” If he was from Ephraim, he would say “Sibboleth,” because people from Ephraim cannot pronounce the word correctly. Then they would take him and kill him at the shallow crossings of the Jordan. In all, 42,000 Ephraimites were killed at that time. |
| 7Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in his city in Gilead. | 7Jephthah judged Israel for six years. When he died, he was buried in one of the towns of Gilead. Ibzan Becomes Israel’s Judge |
| 8After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. | 8After Jephthah died, Ibzan from Bethlehem judged Israel. |
| 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. | 9He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He sent his daughters to marry men outside his clan, and he brought in thirty young women from outside his clan to marry his sons. Ibzan judged Israel for seven years. |
| 10Then Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem. | 10When he died, he was buried at Bethlehem. Elon Becomes Israel’s Judge |
| 11After him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel, and he judged Israel ten years. | 11After Ibzan died, Elon from the tribe of Zebulun judged Israel for ten years. |
| 12Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. | 12When he died, he was buried at Aijalon in Zebulun. Abdon Becomes Israel’s Judge |
| 13After him Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel. | 13After Elon died, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, judged Israel. |
| 14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys, and he judged Israel eight years. | 14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He judged Israel for 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. | 15When he died, he was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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