Jephthah Wins the Battle Over Ephraim
1The troops of Ephraim were called out. The troops went across the Jordan River to Zaphon. When they arrived, they said to Jephthah, “You went to fight against the Ammonites. Why didn’t you ask us to go with you? We’re going to burn down your house over your head.”
2Jephthah answered, “I and my people were taking part in a great struggle. We were at war with the Ammonites. I asked you for help. But you didn’t come to save me from their power. 3I saw that you wouldn’t help. So I put my own life in danger. I went across the Jordan to fight against the Ammonites. The Lord helped me win the battle over them. So why have you come up today to fight against me?”
4Then Jephthah called the men of Gilead together. They fought against Ephraim. The men of Gilead struck them down. The people of Ephraim had said, “You people of Gilead are nothing but deserters from Ephraim and Manasseh.” 5The men of Gilead captured the places where people go across the Jordan River to get to Ephraim. Some men of Ephraim weren’t killed in the battle. When they arrived at the river, they would say, “Let us go across.” Then the men of Gilead would ask each one, “Are you from Ephraim?” Suppose he replied, “No.” 6Then they would say, “All right. Say ‘Shibboleth.’ ” If he said “Sibboleth,” the way he said the word would give him away. He couldn’t say it correctly. So they would grab him. Then they would kill him at one of the places where people go across the Jordan. At that time, 42,000 men of Ephraim were killed.
7Jephthah led Israel for six years. Then he died. He was buried in a town in Gilead. Jephthah was from the land of Gilead.
Ibzan, Elon and Abdon
8After Jephthah, Ibzan from Bethlehem led Israel. 9He had 30 sons and 30 daughters. He gave his daughters to be married to men who were outside his family group. He brought in 30 young women to be married to his sons. Those women also came from outside his family group. Ibzan led Israel for seven years. 10Then he died. He was buried in Bethlehem.
11After Ibzan, Elon led Israel. He was from the tribe of Zebulun. Elon led Israel for ten years. 12Then he died. He was buried in Aijalon. It was in the land of Zebulun.
13After Elon, Abdon led Israel. Abdon was the son of Hillel. Abdon was from Pirathon. 14He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons. They rode on 70 donkeys. Abdon led Israel for eight years. 15Then he died. He was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim. Pirathon was in the hill country of the Amalekites. Abdon was the son of Hillel.
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1さて、エフライム族はツァフォンに兵を集め、エフタにこう言い送りました。「アモン人と戦う時、なぜわれわれに援軍を求めなかったのだ。おまえの家など、おまえもろとも焼き払ってやるから。」
2「かつて、われわれはあなたがたに召集をかけました。しかし、駆けつけてくれなかったではないですか。助けてほしい時に助けてくれなかったのです。 3ですから、あなたがたを当てにせず、命がけで戦ったのです。幸い、主が助けてくださり、敵を破ることができました。それなのに何だって、今になって私たちに戦いをしかけてくるのですか。」
4エフタは、エフライム族が「ギルアデの者らはどこの馬の骨かわからない、人間のくずだ」と侮辱するのに激怒し、兵を集めてエフライム軍を攻撃しました。 5そして、エフライム軍の背後にあるヨルダン川の渡し場を占領したのです。逃げて来る者が川を渡ろうとすると、ギルアデ人の見張りが尋問しました。「おまえはエフライムの者ではないのか」と聞き、「違う」という答えが返ってくると、 6「『シボレテ』と言ってみろ」と命じるのです。もし「シボレテ」と正しく発音できず、「スィボレテ」と発音すれば、引っ立てて行って殺すのです。こうして、ここで四万二千人のエフライム人が死にました。
7エフタは六年間、イスラエルをさばき、世を去ると、ギルアデの町に葬られました。
イブツァン、エロン、アブドン
8エフタの次に士師となったのは、ベツレヘムに住んでいたイブツァンです。 9-10彼には息子と娘が三十人ずついました。彼は娘を自分の氏族以外の者に嫁がせ、息子たちにはよそから三十人の嫁を迎えました。彼は世を去るまでの七年間イスラエルをさばき、ベツレヘムに葬られました。
11-12次に士師となったのは、ゼブルン族のエロンです。彼は十年間イスラエルをさばき、ゼブルンのアヤロンに葬られました。
13そのあとを継いだのは、ピルアトン人ヒレルの子アブドンです。 14彼には四十人の息子と三十人の孫がおり、彼らは七十頭のろばを乗り回していました。アブドンが士師であった期間は八年です。 15死んだのち、アマレク人の山地にあるエフライムのピルアトンに葬られました。
