Judges 12

And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.

The men of Ephraim, feeling left out and angry, confronted Jephthah. "Why did you go to battle against the Ammonites without calling us to go with you?" they demanded. "We will burn your house down with you inside it!"

And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands.

Jephthah expressed, "My people and I were in deep conflict with the Ammonites. I reached out to you for help, but you didn't rescue me from them."

And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

When I realized you didn't rescue me, I risked my own life and confronted the Ammonites. God granted me victory over them. So why are you here today, ready to battle me?

Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

Jephthah rallied all the Gilead men, and they bravely battled Ephraim. They defeated Ephraim, fueled by their accusations of being Ephraim's runaways, living among the Ephraimites and Manassites.

And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;

The Gileadites seized control of the Jordan River crossings, blocking the Ephraimites' escape. When an Ephraimite pleaded to cross, the Gileadites would ask, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If they denied, the situation escalated.

Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

They challenged him, "Say Shibboleth." But he could only say "Sibboleth," unable to pronounce it correctly. Recognizing his mistake, they seized and killed him at the Jordan crossing. That day, 42,000 Ephraimites lost their lives.

And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

Jephthah, the Gileadite, served as Israel's guide for six years. After his time, he passed away and was laid to rest in a city within his homeland, Gilead.

And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

Following him, Ibzan from Bethlehem compassionately led and guided Israel.

And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.

He was a father to thirty sons and thirty daughters. He gave his daughters in marriage outside his clan and brought in thirty wives from outside it for his sons. For seven years, he wisely led Israel.

Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.

Ibzan drew his last breath, and his body found eternal rest in the sacred soil of Bethlehem.

And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.

Following him, Elon from Zebulon took up the mantle of leadership, guiding Israel with wisdom and fairness for a decade.

And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.

Elon from Zebulun passed away, his final resting place was in Aijalon, in his beloved homeland of Zebulun.

And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.

Following him, Abdon, Hillel's son from Pirathon, compassionately led and guided Israel.

And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

He was blessed with a large family of forty sons and thirty grandsons, all of whom rode on seventy young donkeys. He served as a wise and fair judge of Israel for eight significant years.

And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.

Abdon, Hillel's son from Pirathon, passed away. He was laid to rest in his homeland of Pirathon, in Ephraim's territory, on the hill of the Amalekites.