The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 The men of Efrayim assembled, crossed into Tzafon and said to Yiftach, "Why didn't you call us to go with you when you went over to fight the people of 'Amon? We're ready to burn down your house with you in it!"
1
Now the men of Ephraim came together and took up arms and went over to Zaphon; and they said to Jephthah, Why did you go over to make war against the children of Ammon without sending for us to go with you? Now we will put your house on fire over you.
2 Yiftach answered, "When my people and I were in a serious dispute with the people of 'Amon, I called you; and you didn't rescue me from their power.
2
And Jephthah said to them, I and my people were in danger, and the children of Ammon were very cruel to us, and when I sent for you, you gave me no help against them.
3 When I saw that you weren't rescuing me, I put my life in my own hands and went over to attack the people of 'Amon; and ADONAI gave them over into my power. So why have you come up today to fight me?"
3
So when I saw that there was no help to be had from you, I put my life in my hand and went over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord gave them into my hands: why then have you come up to me this day to make war on me?
4 Then Yiftach gathered together all the men of Gil'ad and fought with Efrayim, and the men of Gil'ad defeated Efrayim; because they were saying, "You Gil'ad men who live in Efrayim and M'nasheh have deserted Efrayim!"
4
Then Jephthah got together all the men of Gilead and made war on Ephraim; and the men of Gilead overcame Ephraim.
5 The men of Gil'ad cut off Efrayim from the crossings over the Yarden, and whenever anyone from Efrayim tried to escape and said, "Let me go across," the men of Gil'ad would ask him, "Are you from Efrayim?" and if he said, "No,"
5
And the Gileadites took the crossing-places of Jordan against the Ephraimites; and when any of the men of Ephraim who had gone in flight said, let me go over; the men of Gilead said to him, Are you an Ephraimite? And if he said, No;
6 they would tell him to say "Shibbolet." If he said, "Sibbolet," because he could not make his mouth pronounce it right, they took hold of him and killed him on the spot at the Yarden crossing; at that time 42,000 men of Efrayim died.
6
Then they said to him, Now say Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth, and was not able to say it in the right way; then they took him and put him to death at the crossing-places of Jordan; and at that time forty-two thousand Ephraimites were put to death.
7 Yiftach judged Isra'el for six years. Then Yiftach from Gil'ad died, and he was buried in one of the cities of Gil'ad.
7
Now Jephthah was judge of Israel for six years. And Jephthah the Gileadite came to his death, and his body was put to rest in his town, Mizpeh of Gilead.
8 After him Ibtzan of Beit-Lechem judged Isra'el.
8
And after him, Ibzan of Beth-lehem was judge of Israel.
9 He had thirty sons, and he had thirty daughters whom he sent abroad; he brought thirty women from abroad in to marry his sons. He judged Isra'el for seven years.
9
He had thirty sons, and thirty daughters whom he sent to other places, and he got thirty wives from other places for his sons. And he was judge of Israel for seven years.
10 Then Ibtzan died and was buried at Beit-Lechem.
10
And Ibzan came to his death and his body was put to rest at Beth-lehem.
11 After him Elon from Z'vulun judged Isra'el; he judged Isra'el for ten years.
11
And after him, Elon the Zebulonite was judge of Israel; and he was judge of Israel for ten years.
12 Then Elon from Z'vulun died and was buried at Ayalon, in the territory of Z'vulun.
12
And Elon the Zebulonite came to his death, and his body was put to rest in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
13 After him Avdon the son of Hillel from Pir'aton judged Isra'el.
13
And after him, Abdon, the son of Hillel, the Pirathonite, was judge of Israel.
14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy young donkeys. He judged Isra'el for eight years.
14
He had forty sons and thirty sons' sons who went on seventy young asses; and he was judge of Israel for eight years.
15 Then Avdon the son of Hillel from Pir'aton died and was buried at Pir'aton in the territory of Efrayim, in the 'Amalek hills.
15
And Abdon, the son of Hillel, came to his death, and his body was put to rest in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill-country of the Amalekites.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.