Judges 12 - Living Bible (TLB)

12 Then the tribe of Ephraim mobilized its army at Zaphon and sent this message to Jephthah: “Why didn’t you call for us to help you fight against Ammon? We are going to burn down your house, with you in it!”

2 “I summoned you, but you refused to come!” Jephthah retorted. “You failed to help us in our time of need, 3 so I risked my life and went to battle without you, and the Lord helped me to conquer the enemy. Is that anything for you to fight us about?”

4 Then Jephthah, furious at the taunt of Ephraim that the men of Gilead were mere outcasts[a] and the scum of the earth, mobilized his army and attacked the army of Ephraim. 5 He captured the fords of the Jordan behind the army of Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim tried to cross the river, the Gilead guards challenged him.

“Are you a member of the tribe of Ephraim?” they asked. If the man replied that he was not, 6 then they demanded, “Say ‘Shibboleth.’” But if he couldn’t pronounce the H and said, “Sibboleth” instead of “Shibboleth,” he was dragged away and killed. So forty-two thousand people of Ephraim died there at that time.

7 Jephthah was Israel’s judge for six years. At his death he was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

8 The next judge was Ibzan, who lived in Bethlehem. 9-10 He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He married his daughters to men outside his clan and brought in thirty girls to marry his sons. He judged Israel for seven years before he died, and was buried at Bethlehem.

11-12 The next judge was Elon from Zebulun. He judged Israel for ten years and was buried at Aijalon in Zebulun.

13 Next was Abdon (son of Hillel) from Pirathon. 14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He was Israel’s judge for eight years. 15 Then he died and was buried in Pirathon, in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 12:4 mere outcasts, literally, “fugitives of Ephraim.”

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12 And the men of Ephraim are called together, and pass over northward, and say to Jephthah, `Wherefore has thou passed over to fight against the Bene-Ammon, and on us hast not called to go with thee? thy house we burn over thee with fire.' 2 And Jephthah saith unto them, `A man of great strife I ha...
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Judges 12 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

12 And, lo! dissension (a)rose in Ephraim; for they, that passed toward the north (who crossed over to Zaphon), said to Jephthah, Why wentest thou to battle against the sons of Ammon, and wouldest not call us, (so) that we should go with thee. Therefore we shall burn (down) thine house. 2 To which h...
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Judges 12 - World English Bible (WEB)

12 The men of Ephraim were gathered together, and passed northward; and they said to Jephthah, “Why did you pass over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didn’t call us to go with you? We will burn your house around you with fire!” 2 Jephthah said to them, “I and my people were at great stri...
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Judges 12 - The Voice (VOICE)

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Judges 12 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

12 Then the men of Ephraim were summoned and crossed over to Zaphon. They 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 So Jephthah responded to them, “I and my people were in a bitt...
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Judges 12 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Intertribal Dissension12 The men of E′phraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire.” 2 And Jephthah said to them, “I and my people h...
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Judges 12 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Intertribal Dissension12 The men of E′phraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire.” 2 And Jephthah said to them, “I and my people h...
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Judges 12 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Intertribal Dissension12 The men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down over you!” 2 Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were engage...
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Judges 12 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Intertribal Dissension12 The men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, ‘Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down over you!’ 2 Jephthah said to them, ‘My people and I were engage...
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Judges 12 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Intertribal Dissension12 The men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down over you!”(A)2 Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were engage...
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Judges 12 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Ephraim Fights with Jephthah12 Then the people of Ephraim mobilized an army and crossed over the Jordan River to Zaphon. They sent this message to Jephthah: “Why didn’t you call for us to help you fight against the Ammonites? We are going to burn down your house with you in it!” 2 Jephthah replied, ...
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Judges 12 - New Life Version (NLV)

Jephthah and Ephraim12 Then the men of Ephraim got ready for war. They crossed over to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight the men of Ammon without calling us to go with you? With fire we will burn down your house with you in it.” 2 Jephthah said to them, “I and my people ...
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Judges 12 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Jephthah’s Conflict with Ephraim12 Then (A)the men of Ephraim [a]gathered together, crossed over toward Zaphon, and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the people of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you with fire!” 2 And Jephthah said ...
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Judges 12 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Jephthah and Ephraim12 The 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.’ 2 Jephthah answered, ‘I and my people were engaged in a...
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Judges 12 - New International Version (NIV)

Jephthah and Ephraim12 The Ephraimite forces were called out, and they crossed over to Zaphon.(A) They said to Jephthah,(B) “Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you?(C) We’re going to burn down your house over your head.” 2 Jephthah answered, “I and my people were eng...
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Judges 12 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

Jephthah Wins the Battle Over Ephraim12 The troops of Ephraim were called out. The troops went across the Jordan River to Zaphon. When they arrived, they said to Jephthah, “You went to fight against the Ammonites. Why didn’t you ask us to go with you? We’re going to burn down your house over your he...
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Judges 12 - New English Translation (NET)

Civil Strife Mars the Victory12 The Ephraimites assembled[a] and crossed over to Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, “Why did you go and fight[b] with the Ammonites without asking[c] us to go with you? We will burn your house down right over you!”[d] 2 Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were in a st...
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