Judges 12:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

NIV: After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem led Israel.

NASB: Now Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel after him.

CSB: Ibzan, who was from Bethlehem, judged Israel after Jephthah

NLT: After Jephthah died, Ibzan from Bethlehem judged Israel.

KJV: And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

NKJV: After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

The second half of Judges chapter 12 lists more of the so-called "minor judges." This title is often used since so little is known about them. Shamgar (Judges 3:31), Tola (Judges 10:1), and Jair (Judges 10:3) have been noted already. Nothing is known about the three judges at the end of chapter 12 beyond what's recorded in this passage.

After Jephthah died and was buried in Gilead, a man named Ibzan was appointed by God (Judges 2:16). Ibzan was from Bethlehem. Scholars are divided over whether this was the Bethlehem in Judea, where Jesus will later be born, or the Bethlehem in Galilee, north of the Valley of Jezreel, in the territory of Zebulun. Either is possible. While Jephthah lost his only child (Judges 11:30–31, 34–35), Ibzan has an enormous family (Judges 12:9).

Judges 12:8–15 briefly names three men who follow Jephthah as judges. These, along with men like Shamgar (Judges 3:31), Tola (Judges 10:1), and Jair (Judges 10:3) are sometimes called "minor" or "secondary" judges since so little is known about them. This passage mentions Ibzan of Bethlehem, Elon of Zebulun, and Abdon of Pirathon.

Jephthah's controversial term as judge continues. The men of Ephraim arrive, armed for war and demanding to know why they weren't invited to fight against the Ammonites. They insult Gilead and threaten Jephthah. Jephthah's army defeats them and cuts off their escape back to Ephraim. A tragic number of Ephraimites are killed in the civil war between the two peoples of Israel. Jephthah dies and is followed by three lesser-known judges: Ibzan of Bethlehem, Elon the Zebulunite, and Abdon of Pirathon.

Judges 12 follows Jephthah's terrible task of fulfilling his foolish vow, which costs him his only child. Now he faces an unexpected confrontation from the men of Ephraim. They cross over the Jordan from the west, threatening to kill Jephthah for not including them in the fight against the Ammonites and taunting the people of Gilead. Jephthah defeats the men of Ephraim, killing many in a civil war. Jephthah is followed as judge by Ibzan of Bethlehem, Elon the Zebulunite, and Abdon of Pirathon. This leads to the introduction of another infamous biblical figure: Samson.

The Book of Judges describes Israel's history from the death of Joshua to shortly before Israel's first king, Saul. Israel fails to complete God's command to purge the wicked Canaanites from the land (Deuteronomy 7:1–5; 9:4). This results in a centuries-long cycle where Israel falls into sin and is oppressed by local enemies. After each oppression, God sends a civil-military leader, labeled using a Hebrew word loosely translated into English as "judge." These appointed rescuers would free Israel from enemy control and govern for a certain time. After each judge's death, the cycle of sin and oppression begins again. This continues until the people of Israel choose a king, during the ministry of the prophet-and-judge Samuel (1 Samuel 1—7).

Accessed 5/2/2024 3:08:13 PM