The Ephraim Tribe Fights Jephthah's Army
1 The men of the Ephraim tribe got together an army and went across the Jordan River to Zaphon to meet with Jephthah. They said, “Why did you go to war with the Ammonites without asking us to help? Just for that, we're going to burn down your house with you inside!”
2 “But I did ask for your help,” Jephthah answered. “That was back when the people of Gilead and I were having trouble with the Ammonites, and you wouldn't do a thing to help us. 3 So when we realized you weren't coming, we risked our lives and attacked the Ammonites. And the Lord let us defeat them. There's no reason for you to come here today to attack me.”
4 But the men from Ephraim said, “You people of Gilead are nothing more than refugees from Ephraim. You even live on land that belongs to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.”
So Jephthah called together the army of Gilead, then they attacked and defeated the army from Ephraim. 5 The army of Gilead also posted guards at all the places where the soldiers from Ephraim could cross the Jordan River to return to their own land.
Whenever one of the men from Ephraim would try to cross the river, the guards would say, “Are you from Ephraim?”
“No,” the man would answer, “I'm not from Ephraim.”
6 The guards would then tell them to say “Shibboleth,” because they knew that people of Ephraim could say “Sibboleth,” but not “Shibboleth.”
If the man said “Sibboleth,” the guards would grab him and kill him right there. Altogether, 42,000 men from Ephraim were killed in the battle and at the Jordan.
7 Jephthah was a leader of Israel for six years, before he died and was buried in his hometown Mizpah in Gilead.
Ibzan
8 Ibzan, the next leader of Israel, came from Bethlehem. 9 He had 30 daughters and 30 sons, and he let them all marry outside his clan.
Ibzan was a leader for seven years, 10 before he died and was buried in Bethlehem.
Elon
11 Elon from the Zebulun tribe was the next leader of Israel. He was a leader for ten years, 12 before he died and was buried in Aijalon that belonged to the Zebulun tribe.
Abdon
13-15 Abdon the son of Hillel was the next leader of Israel. He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons, and each one of them had his own donkey. Abdon was a leader for eight years, before he died and was buried in his hometown of Pirathon, which is located in the part of the hill country of Ephraim where Amalekites used to live.
Cilšu nesaskaņas
1 Tika sasaukti Efraima vīri, un tie devās pāri uz Cāfonu un teica Jiftāham: “Kādēļ tu esi devies turp karot ar Amona bērniem, bet mūs neesi saucis sev līdzi? Mēs sadedzināsim tevi tavā namā!” 2 Jiftāhs tiem sacīja: “Man un maniem ļaudīm bija liels ķīviņš ar Amona bērniem; tad es jūs saucu, bet jūs mani neglābāt no viņiem. 3 Kad es redzēju, ka jūs mani neglābsiet, es sažņaudzu savu dzīvību saujā un devos pāri pie Amona bērniem, un Kungs viņus nodeva manā rokā. Kāpēc tad jūs šodien esat nākuši pie manis ar karu?” 4 Tad Jiftāhs sapulcināja visus Gileāda vīrus un karoja ar Efraimu. Gileāda vīri sakāva Efraimu, jo tie bija teikuši: “Jūs esat bēgļi no Efraima. Gileāds pieder pie Efraima un Manases.” 5 Gileādieši ieņēma Jardānas braslus uz Efraima pusi, un, kad kāds izbēgušais efraimietis teica: es gribu tikt pāri, – Gileāda vīri viņam prasīja: vai tu esi efraimietis? – Kad tas teica: neesmu! – 6 viņi tam sacīja: tad pasaki “šibolet”, bet viņš teica “sibolet”, jo nevarēja pareizi izrunāt. Tad tie viņu sagrāba un nokāva pie Jardānas brasliem. Tajā laikā krita četrdesmit divi tūkstoši efraimiešu. 7 Jiftāhs bija soģis Israēlā sešus gadus. Tad gileādietis Jiftāhs nomira un tika apbedīts Gileāda pilsētās.
Ibcāns, Ēlons un Abdons
8 Pēc viņa Israēla soģis bija Ibcāns no Betlēmes. 9 Viņam bija trīsdesmit dēlu; trīsdesmit meitas viņš izdeva pie vīra, un trīsdesmit meitas viņš pārveda saviem dēliem. Viņš bija Israēla soģis septiņus gadus. 10 Tad Ibcāns nomira un tika apbedīts Betlēmē.
11 Pēc viņa Israēla soģis bija zebulūnietis Ēlons. Viņš bija Israēla soģis desmit gadus. 12 Tad zebulūnietis Ēlons nomira un tika apbedīts Ajalonā Zebulūna zemē.
13 Pēc viņa Israēla soģis bija Abdons, pirātonieša Hillela dēls. 14 Viņam bija četrdesmit dēlu un trīsdesmit mazdēlu – tie jāja uz septiņdesmit brašiem ēzeļiem. Viņš bija Israēla soģis astoņus gadus. 15 Tad Abdons, pirātonieša Hillela dēls, nomira un tika apbedīts Pirātonā Efraima zemē amālēkiešu kalnos.
