| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Then the men of Ephraim 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!” | 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!" |
| 2And 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. | 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. |
| 3So when I saw that you would not deliver me, I 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?” | 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?" |
| 4Now Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. And the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, “You Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites and among the Manassites.” | 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 seized the 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,” | 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," |
| 6then they would say to him, “Then say, ‘Shibboleth’!” And he would say, “Sibboleth,” for he could not 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. | 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. |
| 7And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried among the cities of Gilead. | 7Jephthah led Israel for six years; then he died and was buried in his city in Gilead. |
| 8After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. | 8After him Ibzan of Bethlehem led Israel. |
| 9He 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. | 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 at Bethlehem. | 10then he died and was buried in Bethlehem. |
| 11After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel. He judged Israel ten years. | 11After him Elon the Zebulunite led Israel for ten years. |
| 12And Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the country of Zebulun. | 12Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. |
| 13After him, Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel. | 13After him Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite led Israel. |
| 14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy young donkeys. He judged Israel eight years. | 14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel for eight years. |
| 15Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mountains 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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