Brother Turns Against Brother
12 1 The men of Ephraim gathered and crossed to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, "Why did you cross to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We'll burn your house down over you!"
2 Jephthah told them, "My people and I had a bitter dispute with the Ammonites; I called you, but you didn't rescue me from them." 3 When I saw you wouldn't save me, I took my life in my hand and crossed over against the Ammonites, and our Father gave them into my hand. Why have you come up to me today to fight me?
4 So Jephthah gathered all Gilead's men and fought Ephraim. Gilead struck Ephraim down, because the Ephraimites had said, "You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim, among Ephraim, among Manasseh." 5 Gilead captured the Jordan fords against Ephraim. When an Ephraimite fugitive said, "Let me cross," the Gilead men asked, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he said, "No," 6 they said, "Say 'Shibboleth.'" He said "Sibboleth," unable to pronounce it right. So they seized him and killed him at the Jordan fords. At that time forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell. a a v6 Shibboleth meant "stream" or "ear of grain," but its meaning did not matter — the Ephraimites' dialect could not form the "sh" sound, so the word itself exposed who they were.
7 Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died, buried in a town of Gilead.
The Father Raises More Judges
8 After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. 9 He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He sent his thirty daughters outside the clan to marry, and brought thirty daughters from outside for his sons. He judged Israel seven years. 10 Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.
11 After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel; he judged Israel ten years. 12 Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
13 After him, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, judged Israel. 14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He judged Israel eight years. 15 Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim's land, in the Amalekite hill country.
