| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1The Ephraimite forces were called out, and they crossed over to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, "Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We're going to burn down your house over your head." | 1The Ephraimites assembled and crossed over to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, "Why did you go and fight with the Ammonites without asking us to go with you? We will burn your house down right over you!" |
| 2Jephthah answered, "I and my people were engaged in a great struggle with the Ammonites, and although I called, you didn't save me out of their hands. | 2Jephthah said to them, "My people and I were entangled in controversy with the Ammonites. I asked for your help, but you did not deliver me from their power. |
| 3When I saw that you wouldn't help, I took my life in my hands and crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave me the victory over them. Now why have you come up today to fight me?" | 3When I saw that you were not going to help, I risked my life and advanced against the Ammonites, and the LORD handed them over to me. Why have you come up to fight with me today?" |
| 4Jephthah then called together the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. The Gileadites struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, "You Gileadites are renegades from Ephraim and Manasseh." | 4Jephthah assembled all the men of Gilead and they fought with Ephraim. The men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because the Ephraimites insulted them, saying, "You Gileadites are refugees in Ephraim, living within Ephraim's and Manasseh's territory." |
| 5The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a survivor of Ephraim said, "Let me cross over," the men of Gilead asked him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he replied, "No," | 5The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan River opposite Ephraim. Whenever an Ephraimite fugitive said, "Let me cross over," the men of Gilead asked him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he said, "No," |
| 6they said, "All right, say 'Shibboleth.'" If he said, "Sibboleth," because he could not pronounce the word correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed at that time. | 6then they said to him, "Say 'Shibboleth!'" If he said, "Sibboleth" (and could not pronounce the word correctly), they grabbed him and executed him right there at the fords of the Jordan. On that day forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell dead. |
| 7Jephthah led Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in a town in Gilead. | 7Jephthah led Israel for six years; then he died and was buried in his city in Gilead. |
| 8After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem led Israel. | 8After him Ibzan of Bethlehem led Israel. |
| 9He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He gave his daughters away in marriage to those outside his clan, and for his sons he brought in thirty young women as wives from outside his clan. Ibzan led Israel seven years. | 9He had thirty sons. He arranged for thirty of his daughters to be married outside his extended family, and he arranged for thirty young women to be brought from outside as wives for his sons. Ibzan led Israel for seven years; |
| 10Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem. | 10then he died and was buried in Bethlehem. |
| 11After him, Elon the Zebulunite led Israel ten years. | 11After him Elon the Zebulunite led Israel for ten years. |
| 12Then Elon died and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. | 12Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. |
| 13After him, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, led Israel. | 13After him Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite led Israel. |
| 14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel eight years. | 14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel for eight years. |
| 15Then Abdon son of Hillel died and was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites. | 15Then Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites. |
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