1Ефремляне собрались и перешли в Севину и сказали Иеффаю: для чего ты ходил воевать с Аммонитянами, а нас не позвал с собою? мы сожжем дом твой огнем и с тобою вместе.2Иеффай сказал им: я и народ мой имели с Аммонитянами сильную ссору; я звал вас, но вы не спасли меня от руки их;3видя, что ты не спасаешь меня, я подверг опасности жизнь мою и пошел на Аммонитян, и предал их Господь в руки мои; зачем же вы пришли ныне воевать со мною?4И собрал Иеффай всех жителей Галаадских и сразился с Ефремлянами, и побили жители Галаадские Ефремлян, говоря: вы беглецы Ефремовы, Галаад же среди Ефрема и среди Манассии.5И перехватили Галаадитяне переправу чрез Иордан от Ефремлян, и когда кто из уцелевших Ефремлян говорил: "позвольте мне переправиться", то жители Галаадские говорили ему: не Ефремлянин ли ты? Он говорил: нет.6Они говорили ему "скажи: шибболет", а он говорил: "сибболет", и не мог иначе выговорить. Тогда они, взяв его, заколали у переправы чрез Иордан. И пало в то время из Ефремлян сорок две тысячи.7Иеффай был судьею Израиля шесть лет, и умер Иеффай Галаадитянин и погребен в одном из городов Галаадских.8После него был судьею Израиля Есевон из Вифлеема.9У него было тридцать сыновей, и тридцать дочерей отпустил он из дома [в замужество], а тридцать дочерей взял со стороны за сыновей своих, и был судьею Израиля семь лет.10И умер Есевон и погребен в Вифлееме.11После него был судьею Израиля Елон Завулонянин и судил Израиля десять лет.12И умер Елон Завулонянин и погребен в Аиалоне, в земле Завулоновой.13После него был судьею Израиля Авдон, сын Гиллела, Пирафонянин.14У него было сорок сыновей и тридцать внуков, ездивших на семидесяти молодых ослах; он судил Израиля восемь лет.15И умер Авдон, сын Гиллела, Пирафонянин, и погребен в Пирафоне в земле Ефремовой, на горе Амаликовой.
1The troops of Ephraim were called out. The troops went across the River Jordan to Zaphon. When they arrived, they said to Jephthah, ‘You went to fight against the Ammonites. Why didn’t you ask us to go with you? We’re going to burn down your house over your head.’2Jephthah answered, ‘I and my people were taking part in a great struggle. We were at war with the Ammonites. I asked you for help. But you didn’t come to save me from their power.3I saw that you wouldn’t help. So I put my own life in danger. I went across the Jordan to fight against the Ammonites. The LORD helped me win the battle over them. So why have you come up today to fight against me?’4Then Jephthah called the men of Gilead together. They fought against Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck them down. The people of Ephraim had said, ‘You people of Gilead are nothing but deserters from Ephraim and Manasseh.’5The men of Gilead captured the places where people go across the River Jordan to get to Ephraim. Some men of Ephraim weren’t killed in the battle. When they arrived at the river, they would say, ‘Let us go across.’ Then the men of Gilead would ask each one, ‘Are you from Ephraim?’ Suppose he replied, ‘No’.6Then they would say, ‘All right. Say “Shibboleth”. ’ If he said ‘Sibboleth’, the way he said the word would give him away. He couldn’t say it correctly. So they would grab him. Then they would kill him at one of the places where people go across the Jordan. At that time, 42,000 men of Ephraim were killed.7Jephthah led Israel for six years. Then he died. He was buried in a town in Gilead. Jephthah was from the land of Gilead.
Ibzan, Elon and Abdon
8After Jephthah, Ibzan from Bethlehem led Israel.9He had 30 sons and 30 daughters. He gave his daughters to be married to men who were outside his family group. He brought in 30 young women to be married to his sons. Those women also came from outside his family group. Ibzan led Israel for seven years.10Then he died. He was buried in Bethlehem.11After Ibzan, Elon led Israel. He was from the tribe of Zebulun. Elon led Israel for ten years.12Then he died. He was buried in Aijalon. It was in the land of Zebulun.13After Elon, Abdon led Israel. Abdon was the son of Hillel. Abdon was from Pirathon.14He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons. They rode on 70 donkeys. Abdon led Israel for eight years.15Then he died. He was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim. Pirathon was in the hill country of the Amalekites. Abdon was the son of Hillel.