Judges 12

1 And the men of Ephraim shouted out, and crossed over to the north, and said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the children of Ammon and not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down over you with fire.” [a] 2 And Jephthah said to them, “I was a fighting man — I and my people and the children of Ammon — and it was fierce. And I shouted out to you, and you did not save me out of their hand. [b] 3 And I saw that you were no savior, and I put my life in my hand and crossed over to the children of Ammon; and the Lord gave them into my hand. So why have you come up against me today to fight against me?”

4 And Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim; and the men of Gilead struck Ephraim down, because the men of Ephraim had said, “You are Ephraim's fugitives, Gilead — you in the middle of Ephraim and in the middle of Manasseh.” 5 And Gilead seized the fords of the Jordan ahead of Ephraim; and the fugitives of Ephraim said to them, “Let us cross over.” And the men of Gilead said to them, “Are you an Ephraimite?” And he said, “No.” [c] 6 Then they said to him, “Say now: Ear of grain.” And he did not manage to say it right; and they took hold of him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. And there fell at that time, of Ephraim, forty-two thousand. [d]

7 And Jephthah judged Israel sixty years. And Jephthah the Gileadite died, and was buried in his city, in Gilead. [e]

8 And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. 9 And he had thirty sons and thirty daughters, whom he sent away outside; and he brought in thirty daughters from outside for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years. 10 And Ibzan died, and was buried in Bethlehem.

11 And after him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel ten years. 12 And Elon the Zebulunite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.

13 And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, the Pirathonite, judged Israel. 14 And he had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy colts. And he judged 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 Amalek.