Judges Chapter 12

¹ The men of Ephraim gathered an army, crossed over the Jordan to Zaphon, and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight the Ammonites and not call us to go with you? We’ll burn your house on top of you.”

² Jephthah told them, “My people and I had a major conflict with the Ammonites. When I called you, you didn’t deliver me from them. ³ When I saw that you wouldn’t deliver me, I took my life in hand and crossed over against them, and the LORD delivered them to me. Why then have you come up to fight me?”

⁴ Jephthah gathered the men from Gilead and struck Ephraim because they said, “You Gileadites are refugees from Ephraim in Ephraim and Manasseh.” ⁵ The Gileadites captured the Jordan fords. When a refugee from Ephraim asked to go across, the Gileadites would ask him if he was an Ephraimite. If he said, “No,” ⁶ they’d tell him to say shibboleth. He’d say sibboleth because he couldn’t pronounce it right; so they’d kill him. At that time, 42,000 Ephraimites fell.

⁷ Jephthah judged Israel 6 years. He died and was buried in his city in Gilead.     Jud 12:1-7

Ibzan Judges Israel

⁸ After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. ⁹ He had 30 sons and gave 30 daughters in marriage outside his clan. He brought in 30 daughters from outside for his sons. He judged Israel 7 years. ¹⁰ He died and was buried at Bethlehem.

Elon Judges Israel

¹¹ After him Elon from Zebulun judged Israel for 10 years. ¹² He died and was buried at Aijalon in Zebulun.

Abdon Judges Israel

¹³ After him Abdon son of Hillel from Pirathon judged Israel. ¹⁴ He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons that rode on 70 donkeys. He judged Israel 8 years. ¹⁵ He died and was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim in the hill country of the Amalekites. Jud 12:8-15