New Living Translation | International Standard Version |
1Then 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!” | 1A little while later, the army of Ephraim was mustered, and they crossed to Zaphon. They confronted Jephthah and asked, "Why did you cross over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to accompany you? We're going to burn your house down around you!" |
2Jephthah replied, “I summoned you at the beginning of the dispute, but you refused to come! You failed to help us in our struggle against Ammon. | 2But Jephthah replied to them, "My army and I were engaged in a serious fight with the Ammonites. I called for you, but you didn't deliver me from their control. |
3So when I realized you weren’t coming, I risked my life and went to battle without you, and the LORD gave me victory over the Ammonites. So why have you now come to fight me?” | 3When I saw that you wouldn't be delivering me, I took my own life in my hands, crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into my control. So why have you come here today to fight me?" |
4The people of Ephraim responded, “You men of Gilead are nothing more than fugitives from Ephraim and Manasseh.” So Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and attacked the men of Ephraim and defeated them. | 4Then Jephthah mustered all the men of Gilead, fought the tribe of Ephraim, and defeated them, because they had been claiming, "You descendants of Gilead are fugitives in the midst of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh." |
5Jephthah captured the shallow crossings of the Jordan River, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim tried to go back across, the men of Gilead would challenge him. “Are you a member of the tribe of Ephraim?” they would ask. If the man said, “No, I’m not,” | 5The descendants of Gilead seized control of the Jordan River's fords along the border of Ephraim's territory. Later on, when any fugitive from Ephraim asked them, "Let me cross over," the men from Gilead would ask him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he said "No," |
6they would tell him to say “Shibboleth.” If he was from Ephraim, he would say “Sibboleth,” because people from Ephraim cannot pronounce the word correctly. Then they would take him and kill him at the shallow crossings of the Jordan. In all, 42,000 Ephraimites were killed at that time. | 6they would order him, "Pronounce the word 'Shibboleth' right now." If he said "Sibboleth," not being able to pronounce it correctly, they would seize him and slaughter him there at the fords of the Jordan River. During those days 42,000 descendants of Ephraim died that way. |
7Jephthah judged Israel for six years. When he died, he was buried in one of the towns of Gilead. Ibzan Becomes Israel’s Judge | 7Jephthah governed Israel for six years. Then Jephthah died and was buried somewhere in the cities of Gilead. |
8After Jephthah died, Ibzan from Bethlehem judged Israel. | 8After he died, Ibzan from Bethlehem governed Israel for ten years. |
9He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He sent his daughters to marry men outside his clan, and he brought in thirty young women from outside his clan to marry his sons. Ibzan judged Israel for seven years. | 9He had 30 sons and 30 daughters, but he gave his daughters in marriage to outsiders and brought in 30 outsiders for his sons. He governed Israel for seven years, |
10When he died, he was buried at Bethlehem. Elon Becomes Israel’s Judge | 10then he died and was buried in Bethlehem. |
11After Ibzan died, Elon from the tribe of Zebulun judged Israel for ten years. | 11Elon the Zebulunite governed Israel after him for ten years. |
12When he died, he was buried at Aijalon in Zebulun. Abdon Becomes Israel’s Judge | 12Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon within the territory of Zebulun. |
13After Elon died, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, judged Israel. | 13Hillel the Pirathonite's son Abdon governed Israel after him. |
14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He judged Israel for eight years. | 14He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons who rode on 70 donkeys. He governed Israel for eight years. |
15When he died, he was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites. | 15Then he died and was buried at Pirathon in the territory of Ephraim, in the mountainous region of the Amalekites. |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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