Judges 12 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

The men of Ephraim mobilized, crossed over to Zaphon, and said to Jephthah, "Why did you cross over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We're going to burn your house down with you in it!"

Jephthah said to them, "My people and I were in a serious conflict with the Ammonites. I called for your help, but you didn't come to rescue us from them."

When I saw that you weren't going to help, I put my own life on the line and crossed over to fight the Ammonites — and Yahweh handed them over to me. So why are you coming after me today to pick a fight?

Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck them down because Ephraim had said, "You Gileadites are nothing but Ephraim's refugees — nobodies caught between Ephraim and Manasseh."

The Gileadites seized the crossing points of the Jordan ahead of Ephraim. Whenever one of the Ephraimite survivors said, "Let me cross," the men of Gilead would ask him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he said, "No,"

they would say, "Then say 'Shibboleth.'" If he said "Sibboleth" — because he couldn't pronounce it right — they would grab him and kill him right there at the crossing points of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand Ephraimites fell at that time.

Jephthah led Israel for six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died and was buried in one of the towns of Gilead.

After him, Ibzan from Bethlehem led Israel.

He had thirty sons. He sent thirty daughters out in marriage and brought in thirty daughters from outside for his sons. He led Israel for seven years.

Then Ibzan died and was buried in Bethlehem.

After him, Elon from the tribe of Zebulun led Israel. He led Israel for ten years.

Then Elon from Zebulun died and was buried in Aijalon, in the territory of Zebulun.

After him, Abdon son of Hillel from Pirathon led Israel.

He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel for eight years.

Then Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried in Pirathon, in the hill country of Ephraim, in the territory of the Amalekites.