| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1The men of Ephraim were called together and crossed the Jordan to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, "Why have you crossed over to fight against the Ammonites but didn't call us to go with you? We will burn your house down with you in it!" | 1A 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!" |
| 2Then Jephthah said to them, "My people and I had a serious conflict with the Ammonites. So I called for you, but you didn't deliver me from their power. | 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. |
| 3When I saw that you weren't going to deliver me, I took my life in my own hands and crossed over to the Ammonites, and the LORD handed them over to me. Why then have you come today to fight against me?" | 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?" |
| 4Then Jephthah gathered all of the men of Gilead. They fought and defeated Ephraim, because Ephraim had said, "You Gileadites are Ephraimite fugitives in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh." | 4Then Jephthah mustered all the men of Gilead, fought the tribe of Ephraim, and defeated them, because they had been claiming, "You descendants of Gilead are fugitives in the midst of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh." |
| 5The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim. Whenever a fugitive from Ephraim said, "Let me cross over," the Gileadites asked him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he answered, "No," | 5The descendants of Gilead 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," |
| 6they told him, "Please say Shibboleth." If he said, "Sibboleth," because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time 42,000 from Ephraim died. | 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 descendants of Ephraim died that way. |
| 7Jephthah judged Israel six years, and when he died, he was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. | 7Jephthah governed Israel for six years. Then Jephthah died and was buried somewhere in the cities of Gilead. |
| 8Ibzan, who was from Bethlehem, judged Israel after Jephthah | 8After he died, Ibzan from Bethlehem governed Israel for ten years. |
| 9and had 30 sons. He gave his 30 daughters in marriage to men outside the tribe and brought back 30 wives for his sons from outside the tribe. Ibzan judged Israel seven years, | 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, |
| 10and when he died, he was buried in Bethlehem. | 10then he died and was buried in Bethlehem. |
| 11Elon, who was from Zebulun, judged Israel after Ibzan. He judged Israel 10 years, | 11Elon the Zebulunite governed Israel after him for ten years. |
| 12and when he died, he was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. | 12Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon within the territory of Zebulun. |
| 13After Elon, Abdon son of Hillel, who was from Pirathon, judged Israel. | 13Hillel the Pirathonite's son Abdon governed Israel after him. |
| 14He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons, who rode on 70 donkeys. Abdon judged Israel eight years, | 14He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons who rode on 70 donkeys. He governed Israel for eight years. |
| 15and when he died, he was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites. | 15Then he died and was buried at Pirathon in the territory of Ephraim, in the mountainous region of the Amalekites. |
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