耶弗他打败以法莲人

12 后来,以法莲人召集军队,渡过约旦河来到撒分。他们对耶弗他说:“你为什么不召我们一起去攻打亚扪人呢?我们要把你和你的房子一起烧掉。” 耶弗他说:“我和我的人民与亚扪人激战时,我曾召你们参战,你们却不肯来援救我们。 我见你们不来援救,只好冒死去迎战亚扪人,耶和华把敌人交在了我手中。你们今天为什么来攻打我呢?” 以法莲人说:“你们这些在以法莲和玛拿西境内的基列人不过是以法莲的逃亡者。”于是,耶弗他号召基列人起来迎战以法莲人,打败了他们。 基列人占据约旦河各渡口,不让以法莲人过去。如果有以法莲的逃兵请求过河,基列人便问他:“你是以法莲人吗?”如果他否认, 他们就让他说“示播列”。因为以法莲人咬字不清,如果有人把“示播列”说成“西播列”,基列人便抓住他,在那里处死他。那时,有四万二千名以法莲人被杀。

耶弗他做以色列的士师六年,死后葬在基列的一座城里。

以比赞、以伦、押顿

耶弗他死后,伯利恒人以比赞做以色列的士师。 他有三十个儿子、三十个女儿,他从别的宗族给儿子们娶来三十个媳妇,又把女儿都嫁到别的宗族。他做以色列的士师七年, 10 死后葬在伯利恒。 11 以比赞死后,西布伦人以伦做以色列的士师十年。 12 他死后葬在西布伦的亚雅仑。 13 以伦死后,比拉顿人希列的儿子押顿做以色列的士师。 14 他有四十个儿子、三十个孙子,他的儿孙每人骑一头驴。押顿做以色列的士师八年, 15 死后葬在以法莲的比拉顿,在亚玛力人的山区。

Jephthah and Ephraim

12 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.”

Jephthah 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. When I saw that you wouldn’t help, I took my life in my hands(D) and crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave me the victory(E) over them. Now why have you come up today to fight me?”

Jephthah then called together the men of Gilead(F) and fought against Ephraim. The Gileadites struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, “You Gileadites are renegades from Ephraim and Manasseh.(G) The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan(H) 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,” they 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.

Jephthah led[a] Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in a town in Gilead.

Ibzan, Elon and Abdon

After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem(I) led Israel. He 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. 10 Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.

11 After him, Elon the Zebulunite led Israel ten years. 12 Then Elon died and was buried in Aijalon(J) in the land of Zebulun.

13 After him, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon,(K) led Israel. 14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons,(L) who rode on seventy donkeys.(M) He led Israel eight years. 15 Then Abdon son of Hillel died and was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.(N)

Footnotes

  1. Judges 12:7 Traditionally judged; also in verses 8-14

Jephthah’s Conflict with Ephraim

12 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!”

And Jephthah said to them, “My people and I were in a great struggle with the people of Ammon; and when I called you, you did not deliver me out of their hands. So when I saw that you would not deliver me, I (B)took my life in my hands and crossed over against the people of Ammon; and the Lord delivered them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?” Now Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, “You Gileadites (C)are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites.” The Gileadites seized the (D)fords of the Jordan before the Ephraimites arrived. And when any Ephraimite who escaped said, “Let me cross over,” the men of Gilead would say to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,” then they would say to him, “Then say, (E)‘Shibboleth’!”[b] And he would say, “Sibboleth,” for he could not [c]pronounce it right. Then they would take him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. There fell at that time forty-two thousand Ephraimites.

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

Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon

After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. He had thirty sons. And he gave away thirty daughters in marriage, and brought in thirty daughters from elsewhere for his sons. He judged Israel seven years. 10 Then Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem.

11 After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel. He judged Israel ten years. 12 And Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.

13 After him, Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel. 14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who (F)rode on seventy young donkeys. He judged Israel eight years. 15 Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, (G)in the mountains of the Amalekites.

Footnotes

  1. Judges 12:1 were summoned
  2. Judges 12:6 Lit. a flowing stream; used as a test of dialect
  3. Judges 12:6 Lit. speak so