1: And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said to Jephthah, “Wherefore passed you over to fight against the sons of Ammon, and did not call us to go with you? we will burn your house upon you with fire.”
2: And Jephthah said to them, “I and my people were at great strife with the sons of Ammon; and when I called you, you all delivered me not out of their hands.
3: And when I saw that you all delivered me not, I put my soul in my hands, and passed over against the sons of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are you all come up to 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, “ All you Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.”
5: And the Gileadites took the fords 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 to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No;”
6: Then said they to him, “Say now ‘Shibboleth:’ ” and he said “Sibboleth:” for he could not take heed (or give attention) 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 (= 40 + 2,000 = 2,040. The whole tribe numbered only 32,500 at previous census [Num. 26:37; see note on 7:3], and that was less than the first numbering [Num. 1:33]. Only 1,000 from each tribe formed the army. Num.31:4,5).
1151-1145 B.C.
7: And Jephthah ruled Israel six years (first, deliverance; then rule). Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead (City unnamed. Memory not honored, though mentioned in Heb.11:32; yet the last name in that list).
A i¹ j¹ 8,9-. Ibzan.
k¹ -9. Government (7 years).
l¹ 10. Death.
i² j² 11-. Elon.
k² -11. Government (10 years).
l² 12. Death.
i³ j³ 13,14-. Abdon.
k³ -14. Government (8 years).
l² 15. Death.
8: And after him Ibzan (= illustrious) of Bethlehem ruled Israel.
9: And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons.
1145 to 1138 B.C.
And he ruled Israel seven years.
10: Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.
11: And after him Elon (= an oak), a Zebulonite, ruled Israel;
1138 to 1128 B.C.
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 (= servile) the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, ruleded Israel.
14: And he had forty sons and thirty grandsons, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts:
1128 to 1120 B.C.
and he ruled 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 hill country of the Amalekites.