1 The men of Ephraim gathered, crossed the Jordan northward and said to Jephthah, "Why did you go and attack the Ammonites without asking us to march with you? For this we shall burn you inside your house."
2 Jephthah answered them, "My people and I had a great struggle with the Ammonites. I asked help from you but you did not save me from their hands.
3 When I saw that no one had come to help me, I risked my own life and marched against the Ammonites, and Yahweh gave them into my hands. Why, then, have you come up today to fight me?"
4 Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and attacked Ephraim. The Gileadites defeated the Ephraimites who told them, "You, Gileadites, are fugitives who crossed from Ephraim and Manasseh."
5 Gilead seized the shallow waters of the Jordan and blocked the way. Whenever a fugitive from Ephraim said, "Let me pass," the men of Gilead would ask him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he responded, "No,"
6 they would add, "Then say Shibboleth." But then he would say, "Sibboleth" for an Ephraimite could not pronounce it correctly. So they would seize him and cut his throat by the shallow waters of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand men from Ephraim perished at that time.
7 Jephthah was judge in Israel for six years. Then he died and was buried in his city, Mizpah of Gilead.
8 After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem was judge in Israel.
9 He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. His thirty daughters were given in marriage outside his clan, but for his sons, he brought in thirty women. He was judge in Israel for seven years.
10 When Ibzan died, he was buried in Bethlehem.
11 After him, Elon the Zebulunite became judge in Israel. He governed Israel for ten years.
12 Then he died and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
13 After him, Abdon, the son of Hillel of Pirathon, was judge in Israel.
14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy asses. He was judge in Israel for eight years.
15 Then he died and was buried at Pirathon, in the mountains of Ephraim, in the mountain of the Amorites.
Versículos relacionados com Judges, 12:
Judges 12 narrates the dispute between the men of Gilead and the Ephraimites. Ephraimites question the exclusion of their war tribe against ammon and threaten to invade Gilead. Gilead's leader Jeth leads his troops to defeat the Ephraimites and control the passages of the Jordan River.
Joshua 22:10: "And when they reached the lands of Gilead, who belonged to Israel, the sons of Rúben, the sons of Gade, and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar next to Jordan, a large altar in appearance." This verse talks about building an altar for the sons of Rúben, Gade and Manasseh in Gilead, where the battle between Gilead and Efraim happened.
Psalm 60:8: "In God we will do prowess, because He will calculate our opponents to the feet." This verse talks about trust in God to help overcome enemies, something that Gilead's men did in the battle against the Ephraimites.
Isaiah 9:21: "Manasseh to Ephraim, and Ephraim to Manasseh, and both unite against Judah. However, his wrath has not deviated, and his hand is still extended to hurt." This verse talks about the rivalry between the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, a rivalry that manifested itself in the battle against Gilead.
Proverbs 15:1: "The mild answer deflects the furor, but the word lasts raises anger." This verse talks about the importance of answering calmly and kindly to avoid conflict, something that the Ephraimites did not do by threatening Gilead.
Romans 12:18: "If it is possible, how much it depends on you, tend peace with all men." This verse talks about the importance of peace and reconciliation, something that Gilead's men sought after the battle against the Ephraimites.
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