121 Then the men of Ephraim were summoned , and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah , "Why did you cross over to fight against the sons of Ammon without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down on you." 2 Jephthah said to them, "I and my people were at great strife with the sons of Ammon ; when I called you, you did not deliver me from their hand . 3 "When I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hands and crossed over against the sons of Ammon , and the Lord gave them into my hand . Why then have you come up to me this day to fight against me?" 4 Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought Ephraim ; and the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim , because they said , "You are fugitives of Ephraim , O Gileadites , in the midst of Ephraim and in the midst of Manasseh ." 5 The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan opposite Ephraim . And it happened when any of the fugitives of Ephraim said , "Let me cross over ," the men of Gilead would say to him, "Are you an Ephraimite ?" If he said , "No ," 6 then they would say to him, "Say now , 'Shibboleth .' " But he said , "Sibboleth ," for he could not pronounce it correctly . Then they seized him and slew him at the fords of the Jordan . Thus there fell at that time 42,000 e e of Ephraim . 7 Jephthah judged Israel six years . Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead .

Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon Judge Israel

8 Now Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel after him. 9 He had thirty sons , and thirty daughters whom he gave in marriage outside the family, and he brought in thirty daughters from outside for his sons . And he judged Israel seven years . 10 Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem . 11 Now Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel after him; and he judged Israel ten years . 12 Then Elon the Zebulunite died and was buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun . 13 Now Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel after him. 14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys ; and he judged Israel eight years . 15 Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim , in the hill country of the Amalekites .