The Message Bible MSG
New Century Version NCV
1 The men of Ephraim mustered their troops, crossed to Zaphon, and said to Jephthah, "Why did you go out to fight the Ammonites without letting us go with you? We're going to burn your house down on you!"
1
The men of Ephraim called all their soldiers together and crossed the river to the town of Zaphon. They said to Jephthah, "Why didn't you call us to help you fight the Ammonites? We will burn your house down with you in it."
2 Jephthah said, "I and my people had our hands full negotiating with the Ammonites. And I did call to you for help but you ignored me.
2
Jephthah answered them, "My people and I fought a great battle against the Ammonites. I called you, but you didn't come to help me.
3 When I saw that you weren't coming, I took my life in my hands and confronted the Ammonites myself. And God gave them to me! So why did you show up here today? Are you spoiling for a fight with me?"
3
When I saw that you would not help me, I risked my own life and went against the Ammonites. The Lord handed them over to me. So why have you come to fight against me today?"
4 So Jephthah got his Gilead troops together and fought Ephraim. And the men of Gilead hit them hard because they were saying, "Gileadites are nothing but half-breeds and rejects from Ephraim and Manasseh."
4
Then Jephthah called the men of Gilead together and fought the men of Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, "You men of Gilead are nothing but deserters from Ephraim -- living between Ephraim and Manasseh."
5 Gilead captured the fords of the Jordan at the crossing to Ephraim. If an Ephraimite fugitive said, "Let me cross," the men of Gilead would ask, "Are you an Ephraimite?" and he would say, "No."
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The men of Gilead captured the crossings of the Jordan River that led to the country of Ephraim. A person from Ephraim trying to escape would say, "Let me cross the river." Then the men of Gilead would ask him, "Are you from Ephraim?" If he replied no,
6 And they would say, "Say, 'Shibboleth.'" But he would always say, "Sibboleth" - he couldn't say it right. Then they would grab him and kill him there at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two Ephraimite divisions were killed on that occasion.
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they would say to him, "Say the word 'Shibboleth.'" The men of Ephraim could not say that word correctly. So if the person from Ephraim said, "Sibboleth," the men of Gilead would kill him at the crossing. So forty-two thousand people from Ephraim were killed at that time.
7 Jephthah judged Israel six years. Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in his city, Mizpah of Gilead.
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Jephthah was a judge for Israel for six years. Then Jephthah, the man from Gilead, died and was buried in a town in Gilead. Ibzan, the Judge
8 After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
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After Jephthah died, Ibzan from Bethlehem was a judge for Israel.
9 He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He gave his daughters in marriage outside his clan and brought in thirty daughters-in-law from the outside for his sons.
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He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He let his daughters marry men who were not in his family group, and he brought thirty women who were not in his tribe to be wives for his sons. Ibzan judged Israel for seven years.
10 He judged Israel seven years. Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.
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Then he died and was buried in Bethlehem. Elon, the Judge
11 After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel. He judged Israel ten years.
11
After Ibzan died, Elon from the tribe of Zebulun was a judge for Israel. He judged Israel for ten years.
12 Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
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Then Elon, the man of Zebulun, died and was buried in the city of Aijalon in the land of Zebulun. Abdon, the Judge
13 After him, Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel.
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After Elon died, Abdon son of Hillel from the city of Pirathon was a judge for Israel.
14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys. He judged Israel eight years.
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He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He judged Israel for eight years.
15 Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim in the Amalekite hill country.
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Then Abdon son of Hillel died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mountains where the Amalekites lived.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.