Jephthah fights the men of Ephraim, who complain that they were not called. Those who cannot say Shibboleth are killed. Ibzan, Elon and Abdon judge Israel in turn.
1 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 .
2 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 .
3 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?
4 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 .
5 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;
6 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 .
7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years . Then died Jephthah the Gileadite , and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead .
8 And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel .
9 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 .