Judges 12:8

8 After him Ibtzan of Beit-Lechem judged Isra'el.

Judges 12:8 Meaning and Commentary

Judges 12:8

And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
] There were two Bethlehems, one in the tribe of Zebulun, ( Joshua 19:15 ) of which some think this man was; and another in the tribe of Judah, the city of Jesse and David, and of the Messiah; and Josephus says ^F24, Ibzan was of the tribe of Judah, of the city of Bethlehem; and because Boaz was of the same place, and lived in the times of the judges, the Jewish Rabbins ^F25 are of opinion that he is the same with Ibzan; so Jarchi and Ben Gersom.

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7. sect. 13.
F25 T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 91. 1.

Judges 12:8 In-Context

6 they would tell him to say "Shibbolet." If he said, "Sibbolet," because he could not make his mouth pronounce it right, they took hold of him and killed him on the spot at the Yarden crossing; at that time 42,000 men of Efrayim died.

7 Yiftach judged Isra'el for six years. Then Yiftach from Gil'ad died, and he was buried in one of the cities of Gil'ad.

8 After him Ibtzan of Beit-Lechem judged Isra'el.

9 He had thirty sons, and he had thirty daughters whom he sent abroad; he brought thirty women from abroad in to marry his sons. He judged Isra'el for seven years.

10 Then Ibtzan died and was buried at Beit-Lechem.