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.
O Conflito de Jefté contra Efraim
1Os homens de Efraim foram convocados para a batalha; dirigiram-se para Zafom e disseram a Jefté: “Por que você foi lutar contra os amonitas sem nos chamar para irmos juntos? Vamos queimar a sua casa e você junto!”
2Jefté respondeu: “Eu e meu povo estávamos envolvidos numa grande contenda com os amonitas, e, embora eu os tenha chamado, vocês não me livraram das mãos deles. 3Quando vi que vocês não ajudariam, arrisquei a vida e fui lutar contra os amonitas, e o Senhor me deu a vitória sobre eles. E, por que vocês vieram para cá hoje? Para lutar contra mim?”
4Jefté reuniu então todos os homens de Gileade e lutou contra Efraim. Os gileaditas feriram os efraimitas porque estes tinham dito: “Vocês, gileaditas, são desertores de Efraim e de Manassés”. 5Os gileaditas tomaram as passagens do Jordão que conduziam a Efraim. Sempre que um fugitivo de Efraim dizia: “Deixem-me atravessar”, os homens de Gileade perguntavam: “Você é efraimita?” Se respondesse que não, 6diziam: “Então diga: Chibolete”. Se ele dissesse: “Sibolete”, sem conseguir pronunciar corretamente a palavra, prendiam-no e matavam-no no lugar de passagem do Jordão. Quarenta e dois mil efraimitas foram mortos naquela ocasião.
7Jefté liderou Israel durante seis anos. Então o gileadita Jefté morreu e foi sepultado numa cidade de Gileade.
Ibsã, Elom e Abdom
8Depois de Jefté, Ibsã, de Belém, liderou Israel. 9Teve trinta filhos e trinta filhas. Deu suas filhas em casamento a homens de fora do seu clã e trouxe para os seus filhos trinta mulheres de fora do seu clã. Ibsã liderou Israel durante sete anos. 10Então Ibsã morreu e foi sepultado em Belém.
11Depois dele, Elom, da tribo de Zebulom, liderou Israel durante dez anos. 12Elom morreu e foi sepultado em Aijalom, na terra de Zebulom.
13Depois dele, Abdom, filho de Hilel, de Piratom, liderou Israel. 14Teve quarenta filhos e trinta netos, que montavam setenta jumentos. Abdom liderou Israel durante oito anos. 15Então Abdom, filho de Hilel, morreu e foi sepultado em Piratom, na terra de Efraim, na serra dos amalequitas.
