45
Then Judas gathered together all the Jews in Gilead to take them back to Judea with him. It was a large group of all kinds of people, together with their wives and children and all that they owned.
46
They went as far as Ephron, a large, well-fortified town. It was impossible to go around it on either side, and the road passed directly through the town.
47
But the people there would not let them pass and blocked the town gates with stones.
48
Then Judas sent a friendly message to them: "Let us pass through your territory to return home. No one will harm you; we will just pass through." But they still refused to open the gates.
49
So Judas told everyone in the group, except the fighting men, to camp where they were.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.