Jephthah Defeats Ephraim

1  וַיִּצָּעֵק֙ (And gathered together) אִ֣ישׁ (the men) אֶפְרַ֔יִם (of Ephraim) וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ר (and passed over) צָפ֑וֹנָה (toward Zaphon), וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ (and they said) לְיִפְתָּ֜ח (to Jephthah), מַדּ֣וּעַ׀ (Why) עָבַ֣רְתָּ׀ (did you pass over) לְהִלָּחֵ֣ם (to fight) בִּבְנֵי־ (against the sons) עַמּ֗וֹן (of Ammon), וְלָ֙נוּ֙ (and us) לֹ֤א (not) קָרָ֙אתָ֙ (did call) לָלֶ֣כֶת (to go) עִמָּ֔ךְ (with you)? בֵּיתְךָ֕ (Your house) נִשְׂרֹ֥ף (we will burn down) עָלֶ֖יךָ (over you) בָּאֵֽשׁ׃ (with the fire).

2  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) יִפְתָּח֙ (Jephthah) אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם (to them), אִ֣ישׁ (A man) רִ֗יב (in a great struggle) הָיִ֛יתִי (I have been)— אֲנִ֛י (I) וְעַמִּ֥י (and My people) וּבְנֵֽי־ (and the sons) עַמּ֖וֹן (of Ammon)— מְאֹ֑ד (exceedingly). וָאֶזְעַ֣ק (And I called) אֶתְכֶ֔ם (you⁺) וְלֹֽא־ (and not) הוֹשַׁעְתֶּ֥ם (you⁺ did deliver) אוֹתִ֖י (me) מִיָּדָֽם׃ (out of their hands). 3  וָֽאֶרְאֶ֞ה (And I saw) כִּֽי־ (that) אֵינְךָ֣ (not), מוֹשִׁ֗יע (you would deliver me) וָאָשִׂ֨ימָה (and I took) נַפְשִׁ֤י (my life) בְכַפִּי֙ (in my hands), וָֽאֶעְבְּרָה֙ (and passed over) אֶל־ (against) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) עַמּ֔וֹן (of Ammon). וַיִּתְּנֵ֥ם (And delivered them) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) בְּיָדִ֑י (into my hand). וְלָמָ֞ה (And why) עֲלִיתֶ֥ם (have you⁺ come up) אֵלַ֛י (to me) הַיּ֥וֹם (the day) הַזֶּ֖ה (this) לְהִלָּ֥חֶם (to fight) בִּֽי׃ (against me).

4  וַיִּקְבֹּ֤ץ (And gathered together) יִפְתָּח֙ (Jephthah) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) אַנְשֵׁ֣י (the men) גִלְעָ֔ד (of Gilead), וַיִּלָּ֖חֶם (and fought) אֶת־ (against) אֶפְרָ֑יִם (Ephraim). וַיַּכּוּ֩ (And defeated) אַנְשֵׁ֨י (the men) גִלְעָ֜ד (of Gilead) אֶת־ (-) אֶפְרַ֗יִם (Ephraim), כִּ֤י (because) אָמְרוּ֙ (they said), פְּלִיטֵ֤י (Fugitives) אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ (of Ephraim) אַתֶּ֔ם (are you⁺) גִּלְעָ֕ד (Gileadites) בְּת֥וֹךְ (in the midst) אֶפְרַ֖יִם (of Ephraim) בְּת֥וֹךְ (in the midst) מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃ (of Manasseh).

5  וַיִּלְכֹּ֥ד (And seized) גִּלְעָ֛ד (Gilead) אֶֽת־ (-) מַעְבְּר֥וֹת (the fords) הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן (of the Jordan) לְאֶפְרָ֑יִם (to Ephraim), וְֽ֠הָיָה (and) כִּ֣י (when) יֹאמְר֞וּ (said) פְּלִיטֵ֤י (a fugitive) אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ (from Ephraim) אֶעֱבֹ֔רָה (Let me pass over), וַיֹּ֨אמְרוּ (and would say) ל֧וֹ (to him) אַנְשֵֽׁי־ (the men) גִלְעָ֛ד (of Gilead), הַֽאֶפְרָתִ֥י (An Ephraimite) אַ֖תָּה (are you)?

וַיֹּ֥אמֶֽר׀ (And if he said), לֹֽא׃ (No), 6  וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ (and they would say) לוֹ֩ (to him) אֱמָר־ (Say) נָ֨א (please) שִׁבֹּ֜לֶת (Shibboleth).

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And he would say) סִבֹּ֗לֶת (Sibboleth), וְלֹ֤א (and for not) יָכִין֙ (he could) לְדַבֵּ֣ר (pronounce it) כֵּ֔ן (correctly). וַיֹּאחֲז֣וּ (And they would take) אוֹת֔וֹ (him) וַיִּשְׁחָט֖וּהוּ (and kill him) אֶל־ (at) מַעְבְּר֣וֹת (the fords) הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן (of the Jordan). וַיִּפֹּ֞ל (And there fell) בָּעֵ֤ת (at the time) הַהִיא֙ (that) מֵֽאֶפְרַ֔יִם (of Ephraim) אַרְבָּעִ֥ים (forty) וּשְׁנַ֖יִם (and two) אָֽלֶף׃ (thousand).

7  וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֥ט (And judged) יִפְתָּ֛ח (Jephthah) אֶת־ (-) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (Israel) שֵׁ֣שׁ (six) שָׁנִ֑ים (years). וַיָּ֗מָת (And died) יִפְתָּח֙ (Jephthah) הַגִּלְעָדִ֔י (the Gileadite), וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר (and was buried) בְּעָרֵ֥י (among the cities) גִלְעָֽד׃פ (of Gilead).

Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon

8  וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֤ט (And judged) אַֽחֲרָיו֙ (after him) אֶת־ (-) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Israel) אִבְצָ֖ן (Ibzan) מִבֵּ֥ית (of Beth-) לָֽחֶם׃ (lehem). 9  וַיְהִי־ (And had) ל֞וֹ (he) שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים (thirty) בָּנִ֗ים (sons). וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים (And thirty) בָּנוֹת֙ (daughters) שִׁלַּ֣ח (he gave in marriage) הַח֔וּצָה (to outsiders), וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים (and thirty) בָּנ֔וֹת (daughters) הֵבִ֥יא (he brought in) לְבָנָ֖יו (for his sons) מִן־ (from) הַח֑וּץ (outside). וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֥ט (And He judged) אֶת־ (-) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (Israel) שֶׁ֥בַע (seven) שָׁנִֽים׃ (years). 10  וַיָּ֣מָת (And died) אִבְצָ֔ן (Ibzan) וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר (and was buried) בְּבֵ֥ית (in Beth-) לָֽחֶם׃פ (lehem).

11  וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֤ט (And judged) אַֽחֲרָיו֙ (after him) אֶת־ (-) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Israel) אֵיל֖וֹן (Elon) הַזְּבֽוּלֹנִ֑י (the Zebulunite). וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֥ט (And He judged) אֶת־ (-) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (Israel) עֶ֥שֶׂר (ten) שָׁנִֽים׃ (years). 12  וַיָּ֖מָת (And died) אֵל֣וֹן (Elon) הַזְּבֽוּלֹנִ֑י (the Zebulunite) וַיִּקָּבֵ֥ר (and was buried) בְּאַיָּל֖וֹן (in Aijalon) בְּאֶ֥רֶץ (in the land) זְבוּלֻֽן׃פ (of Zebulun).

13  וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֥ט (And judged) אַחֲרָ֖יו (after him) אֶת־ (-) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Israel) עַבְדּ֥וֹן (Abdon) בֶּן־ (son) הִלֵּ֖ל (of Hillel) הַפִּרְעָתוֹנִֽי׃ (the Pirathonite), 14  וַיְהִי־ (and were) ל֞וֹ (to him) אַרְבָּעִ֣ים (forty) בָּנִ֗ים (sons) וּשְׁלֹשִׁים֙ (and thirty) בְּנֵ֣י (sons) בָנִ֔ים (of sons), רֹכְבִ֖ים (who rode) עַל־ (on) שִׁבְעִ֣ים (seventy) עֲיָרִ֑ם (young donkeys). וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֥ט (And he judged) אֶת־ (-) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (Israel) שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה (eight) שָׁנִֽים׃ (years). 15  וַיָּ֛מָת (And died) עַבְדּ֥וֹן (Abdon) בֶּן־ (son) הִלֵּ֖ל (of Hillel) הַפִּרְעָתוֹנִ֑י (the Pirathonite) וַיִּקָּבֵ֤ר (and he was buried) בְּפִרְעָתוֹן֙ (in Pirathon) בְּאֶ֣רֶץ (in the land) אֶפְרַ֔יִם (of Ephraim), בְּהַ֖ר (in the hill country) הָעֲמָלֵקִֽי׃פ (of the Amalekite).