The Ephraimites quarrel with Jephte – Judges, chapter 12

The Ephraimites quarrel with Jephte: forty-two thousand of them are slain: Abeson, Ahialon, and Abdon, are judges.

[1] But behold there arose a sedition in Ephraim. And passing towards the north, they said to Jephte: When thou wentest to fight against the children of Ammon, why wouldst thou not call us, that we might go with thee? Therefore we will burn thy house. [2] And he answered them: I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon: and I called you to assist me, and you would not do it. [3] And when I saw this, I put my life in my own hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord delivered them into my hands. What have I deserved, that you should rise up to fight against me? [4] Then calling to him all the men of Galaad, he fought against Ephraim: and the men of Galaad defeated Ephraim, because he had said: Galaad is a fugitive of Ephraim, and dwelleth in the midst of Ephraim and Manasses. [5] And the Galaadites secured the fords of the Jordan, by which Ephraim was to return. And when any one of the number of Ephraim came thither in the flight, and said: I beseech you let me pass: the Galaadites said to him: Art thou not an Ephraimite? If he said: I am not:

[6] They asked him: Say then, Scibboleth, which is interpreted, An ear of corn. But he answered, Sibboleth, not being able to express an ear of corn by the same letter. Then presently they took him and killed him in the very passage of the Jordan. And there fell at that time of Ephraim two and forty thousand. [7] And Jephte the Galaadite judged Israel six years: and he died, and was buried in his city of Galaad. [8] After him Abesan of Bethlehem judged Israel: [9] He had thirty sons, and as many daughters, whom he sent abroad, and gave to husbands, and took wives for his sons of the same number, bringing them into his house. And he judged Israel seven years: [10] And he died, and was buried in Bethlehem.

[11] To him succeeded Ahialon a Zabulonite: and he judged Israel ten years: [12] And he died, and was buried in Zabulon. [13] After him Abdon, the son of Illel, a Pharathonite, judged Israel: [14] And he had forty sons, and of them thirty grandsons, mounted upon seventy ass colts, and he judged Israel eight years: [15] And he died, and was buried in Pharathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of Amalech.

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