Judges 12 - Prayer Tents

Judges 12

International Standard Version

Jephthah’s Dispute with the Tribe of Ephraim

12A little while later, the army of Ephraim was mustered, and they crossed to Zaphon. They confronted Jephthah and asked, "Why did you cross over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to accompany you?We're going to burn your house down around you!"H376H669H6817H5674H6828H559H3316H5674H3898H1121H5983H7121H3212H8313H1004H784 2But Jephthah replied to them, "My army and I were engaged in a serious fight with the Ammonites. I called for you, but you didn't deliver me from their control.H3316H559H5971H1961H3966H376H7379H1121H5983H2199H3467H3027 3When I saw that you wouldn't be delivering me, I took my own life in my hands, crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into my control. So why have you come here today to fight me?"H7200H3467H7760H5315H3709H5674H1121H5983H3068H5414H3027H5927H3117H3898 4Then Jephthah mustered all the men of Gilead, fought the tribe of Ephraim, and defeated them, because they had been claiming, "You Gileadites are fugitives in the midst of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh."3H3316H6908H582H1568H3898H669H582H1568H5221H669H559H1568H6412H669H8432H669H8432H4519

Shibboleth vs. Sibboleth

5The Gileadites seized control of the Jordan River's fords along the border of Ephraim's territory. Later on, when any fugitive from Ephraim asked them, "Let me cross over," the men from Gilead would ask him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he said "No,"H1568H3920H4569H3383H669H669H6412H559H5674H582H1568H559H673H559 6they would order him, "Pronounce the word 'Shibboleth' right now." If he said "Sibboleth," not being able to pronounce it correctly, they would seize him and slaughter him there at the fords of the Jordan River. During those days 42,000 Ephraimites died that way.H559H559H7641H559H5451H3559H1696H3559H270H7819H4569H3383H5307H6256H669H705H8147H505 7Jephthah governed Israel for six years. Then Jephthah died and was buried somewhere in the cities of Gilead.H3316H8199H3478H8337H8141H4191H3316H1569H6912H5892H1568

Ibzan, Israel’s Ninth Judge

8After he died, Ibzan from Bethlehem governed Israel for ten years.H310H78H1035H8199H3478 9He had 30 sons and 30 daughters, but he gave his daughters in marriage to outsiders and brought in 30 outsiders for his sons. He governed Israel for seven years,H7970H1121H7970H1323H7971H2351H935H7970H1323H2351H1121H8199H3478H7651H8141 10then he died and was buried in Bethlehem.129H4191H78H6912H1035

Elon, Israel’s Tenth Judge

11Elon the Zebulunite governed Israel after him for ten years.H310H356H2075H8199H3478H8199H3478H6235H8141 12Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon within the territory of Zebulun.H356H2075H4191H6912H357H776H2074

Abdon, Israel’s Eleventh Judge

13Hillel the Pirathonite's son Abdon governed Israel after him.H310H5658H1121H1985H6553H8199H3478 14He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons who rode on 70 donkeys. He governed Israel for eight years.H705H1121H7970H1121H1121H7392H7657H5895H8199H3478H8083H8141 15Then he died and was buried at Pirathon in the territory of Ephraim, in the mountainous region of the Amalekites.H5658H1121H1985H6553H4191H6912H6552H776H669H2022H6003