1 ¶ Then the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said to Jephthah, Why did you cross over to fight against the children of Ammon, without calling us to go with you? we will burn your house over you with fire.

2 And Jephthah said to them, I and my people were in a severe conflict with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, you did not deliver me out of their hands.

3 And when I saw that you did not deliver me, I took my life in my hands, and crossed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: why then have you come up to me this day, to fight against me?

4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim in the midst of Ephraim, and Manasseh.

5 And the Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan before the Ephraimites: and when any of those Ephraimites who had escaped said, Let me cross over; the men of Gilead said to him, Are you an Ephraimite? If he said, No;

6 Then said they to him, Then say Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the fords of the Jordan: and forty-two thousand of the Ephraimites fell at that time.

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

8 ¶ And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

9 And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he gave in marriage outside his clan, and took in thirty daughters from outside his clan for his sons. And he judged Israel for seven years.

10 Then Ibzan died, and was buried at Bethlehem.

11 After him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel for ten years.

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

13 After him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.

14 And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on seventy young donkeys: and he judged Israel for eight years.

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