耶弗他打敗以法蓮人

12 後來,以法蓮人召集軍隊,渡過約旦河來到撒分。他們對耶弗他說:「你為什麼不召我們一起去攻打亞捫人呢?我們要把你和你的房子一起燒掉。」 耶弗他說:「我和我的人民與亞捫人激戰時,我曾召你們參戰,你們卻不肯來援救我們。 我見你們不來援救,只好冒死去迎戰亞捫人,耶和華把敵人交在了我手中。你們今天為什麼來攻打我呢?」 以法蓮人說:「你們這些在以法蓮和瑪拿西境內的基列人不過是以法蓮的逃亡者。」於是,耶弗他號召基列人起來迎戰以法蓮人,打敗了他們。 基列人佔據約旦河各渡口,不讓以法蓮人過去。如果有以法蓮的逃兵請求過河,基列人便問他:「你是以法蓮人嗎?」如果他否認, 他們就讓他說「示播列」。因為以法蓮人咬字不清,如果有人把「示播列」說成「西播列」,基列人便抓住他,在那裡處死他。那時,有四萬二千名以法蓮人被殺。

耶弗他做以色列的士師六年,死後葬在基列的一座城裡。

以比贊、以倫、押頓

耶弗他死後,伯利恆人以比贊做以色列的士師。 他有三十個兒子、三十個女兒,他從別的宗族給兒子們娶來三十個媳婦,又把女兒都嫁到別的宗族。他做以色列的士師七年, 10 死後葬在伯利恆。 11 以比贊死後,西布倫人以倫做以色列的士師十年。 12 他死後葬在西布倫的亞雅崙。 13 以倫死後,比拉頓人希列的兒子押頓做以色列的士師。 14 他有四十個兒子、三十個孫子,他的兒孫每人騎一頭驢。押頓做以色列的士師八年, 15 死後葬在以法蓮的比拉頓,在亞瑪力人的山區。

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

12 The men of Efrayim assembled, crossed into Tzafon and said to Yiftach, “Why didn’t you call us to go with you when you went over to fight the people of ‘Amon? We’re ready to burn down your house with you in it!” Yiftach answered, “When my people and I were in a serious dispute with the people of ‘Amon, I called you; and you didn’t rescue me from their power. When I saw that you weren’t rescuing me, I put my life in my own hands and went over to attack the people of ‘Amon; and Adonai gave them over into my power. So why have you come up today to fight me?” Then Yiftach gathered together all the men of Gil‘ad and fought with Efrayim, and the men of Gil‘ad defeated Efrayim; because they were saying, “You Gil‘ad men who live in Efrayim and M’nasheh have deserted Efrayim!” The men of Gil‘ad cut off Efrayim from the crossings over the Yarden, and whenever anyone from Efrayim tried to escape and said, “Let me go across,” the men of Gil‘ad would ask him, “Are you from Efrayim?” and if he said, “No,” they would tell him to say “Shibbolet.” If he said, “Sibbolet,” because he could not make his mouth pronounce it right, they took hold of him and killed him on the spot at the Yarden crossing; at that time 42,000 men of Efrayim died.

Yiftach judged Isra’el for six years. Then Yiftach from Gil‘ad died, and he was buried in one of the cities of Gil‘ad.

After him Ibtzan of Beit-Lechem judged Isra’el. He had thirty sons, and he had thirty daughters whom he sent abroad; he brought thirty women from abroad in to marry his sons. He judged Isra’el for seven years. 10 Then Ibtzan died and was buried at Beit-Lechem.

11 After him Elon from Z’vulun judged Isra’el; he judged Isra’el for ten years. 12 Then Elon from Z’vulun died and was buried at Ayalon, in the territory of Z’vulun.

13 After him Avdon the son of Hillel from Pir‘aton judged Isra’el. 14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy young donkeys. He judged Isra’el for eight years. 15 Then Avdon the son of Hillel from Pir‘aton died and was buried at Pir‘aton in the territory of Efrayim, in the ‘Amalek hills.

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

12 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.

And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands.

And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?

Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;

Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.

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

And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.

10 Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.

11 And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.

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

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

14 And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

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