And the men of Ephraim were called together and crossed over the Jordan to Zaphon, and they said to Jephthah, “Why did you cross over to fight against the children of Ammon and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire!”
And Jephthah said to them, “I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon, and when I called you, you did not save me out of their hand.
And when I saw that you did not save me, I put my life in my hand and crossed over against the children of Ammon, and Yahweh gave them into my hand. So why have you come up against me this day to fight against me?”
Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim, and the men of Gilead struck Ephraim because they had said, “You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim and in the midst of Manasseh.”
The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim. And when the fugitives of Ephraim said, “Let me go over,” the men of Gilead said to him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he said, “No,”
then they said to him, “Now say ‘shibboleth,’” but he would say “sibboleth,” not managing to pronounce it right, then they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time, 42,000 of Ephraim fell.
And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in one of the cities in Gilead.
Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon
After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
He had 30 sons, and 30 daughters whom he gave in marriage outside his clan, and he brought in 30 daughters from outside his clan for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.
Then Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem.
After him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel, and he judged Israel ten years.
Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
And after him Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel.
He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons, who rode on 70 donkey colts, and he judged Israel eight years.
Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim in the hill country of the Amalekites.