1 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.
2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands.
3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?
4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.
5 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;
6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.
7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
8 And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
9 And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.
10 Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.
11 And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.
12 And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun.
13 And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel.
14 And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
15 And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.
1 And the men H376 of Ephraim H669 gathered themselves together, H6817 and went H5674 northward, H6828 and said H559 unto Jephthah, H3316 Wherefore passedst thou over H5674 to fight H3898 against the children H1121 of Ammon, H5983 and didst not call H7121 us to go H3212 with thee? we will burn H8313 thine house H1004 upon thee with fire. H784
2 And Jephthah H3316 said H559 unto them, I and my people H5971 were H1961 at great H3966 strife H376 H7379 with the children H1121 of Ammon; H5983 and when I called H2199 you, ye delivered H3467 me not out of their hands. H3027
3 And when I saw H7200 that ye delivered H3467 me not, I put H7760 my life H5315 in my hands, H3709 and passed over H5674 against the children H1121 of Ammon, H5983 and the LORD H3068 delivered H5414 them into my hand: H3027 wherefore then are ye come up H5927 unto me this day, H3117 to fight H3898 against me?
4 Then Jephthah H3316 gathered together H6908 all the men H582 of Gilead, H1568 and fought H3898 with Ephraim: H669 and the men H582 of Gilead H1568 smote H5221 Ephraim, H669 because they said, H559 Ye Gileadites H1568 are fugitives H6412 of Ephraim H669 among H8432 the Ephraimites, H669 and among H8432 the Manassites. H4519
5 And the Gileadites H1568 took H3920 the passages H4569 of Jordan H3383 before the Ephraimites: H669 and it was so, that when those Ephraimites H669 which were escaped H6412 said, H559 Let me go over; H5674 that the men H582 of Gilead H1568 said H559 unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? H673 If he said, H559 Nay;
6 Then said H559 they unto him, Say H559 now Shibboleth: H7641 and he said H559 Sibboleth: H5451 for he could not frame H3559 to pronounce H1696 it right. H3559 Then they took H270 him, and slew H7819 him at the passages H4569 of Jordan: H3383 and there fell H5307 at that time H6256 of the Ephraimites H669 forty H705 and two H8147 thousand. H505
7 And Jephthah H3316 judged H8199 Israel H3478 six H8337 years. H8141 Then died H4191 Jephthah H3316 the Gileadite, H1569 and was buried H6912 in one of the cities H5892 of Gilead. H1568
8 And after H310 him Ibzan H78 of Bethlehem H1035 judged H8199 Israel. H3478
9 And he had thirty H7970 sons, H1121 and thirty H7970 daughters, H1323 whom he sent H7971 abroad, H2351 and took H935 in thirty H7970 daughters H1323 from abroad H2351 for his sons. H1121 And he judged H8199 Israel H3478 seven H7651 years. H8141
10 Then died H4191 Ibzan, H78 and was buried H6912 at Bethlehem. H1035
11 And after H310 him Elon, H356 a Zebulonite, H2075 judged H8199 Israel; H3478 and he judged H8199 Israel H3478 ten H6235 years. H8141
12 And Elon H356 the Zebulonite H2075 died, H4191 and was buried H6912 in Aijalon H357 in the country H776 of Zebulun. H2074
13 And after H310 him Abdon H5658 the son H1121 of Hillel, H1985 a Pirathonite, H6553 judged H8199 Israel. H3478
14 And he had forty H705 sons H1121 and thirty H7970 nephews, H1121 H1121 that rode H7392 on threescore and ten H7657 ass colts: H5895 and he judged H8199 Israel H3478 eight H8083 years. H8141
15 And Abdon H5658 the son H1121 of Hillel H1985 the Pirathonite H6553 died, H4191 and was buried H6912 in Pirathon H6552 in the land H776 of Ephraim, H669 in the mount H2022 of the Amalekites. H6003
1 And the men of Ephraim were gathered together, and passed northward; and they said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with thee? we will burn thy house upon thee with fire.
2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye saved me not out of their hand.
3 And when I saw that ye saved me not, I put my life in my hand, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and Jehovah delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day, to fight against me?
4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim; and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye are fugitives of Ephraim, ye Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim, `and' in the midst of Manasseh.
5 And the Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. And it was so, that, when `any of' the fugitives of Ephraim said, Let me go over, the men of Gilead said unto him, Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay;
6 then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth; for he could not frame to pronounce it right: then they laid hold on him, and slew him at the fords of the Jordan. And there fell at that time of Ephraim forty and two thousand.
7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in `one of' the cities of Gilead.
8 And after him Ibzan of Beth-lehem judged Israel.
9 And he had thirty sons; and thirty daughters he sent abroad, and thirty daughters he brought in from abroad for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.
10 And Ibzan died, and was buried at Beth-lehem.
11 And after him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.
12 And Elon the Zebulunite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
13 And after him Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel.
14 And he had forty sons and thirty sons' sons, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
15 And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill-country of the Amalekites.
1 And the men of Ephraim are called together, and pass over northward, and say to Jephthah, `Wherefore has thou passed over to fight against the Bene-Ammon, and on us hast not called to go with thee? thy house we burn over thee with fire.'
2 And Jephthah saith unto them, `A man of great strife I have been (I and my people) with the Bene-Ammon, and I call you, and ye have not saved me out of their hand,
3 and I see that thou art not a saviour, and I put my life in my hand, and pass over unto the Bene-Ammon, and Jehovah giveth them into my hand -- and why have ye come up unto me this day to fight against me?'
4 And Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead, and fighteth with Ephraim, and the men of Gilead smite Ephraim, because they said, `Fugitives of Ephraim `are' ye Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim -- in the midst of Manasseh.'
5 And Gilead captureth the passages of the Jordan to Ephraim, and it hath been, when `any of' the fugitives of Ephraim say, `Let me pass over,' and the men of Gilead say to him, `An Ephramite thou?' and he saith, `No;'
6 that they say to him, `Say, I pray thee, Shibboleth;' and he saith, `Sibboleth,' and is not prepared to speak right -- and they seize him, and slaughter him at the passages of the Jordan, and there fall at that time, of Ephraim, forty and two chiefs.
7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years, and Jephthah the Gileadite dieth, and is buried in `one of' the cities of Gilead.
8 And after him Ibzan of Beth-Lehem judgeth Israel,
9 and he hath thirty sons and thirty daughters, he hath sent without and thirty daughters hath brought in to his sons from without; and he judgeth Israel seven years.
10 And Ibzan dieth, and is buried in Beth-Lehem.
11 And after him Elon the Zebulunite judgeth Israel, and he judgeth Israel ten years,
12 and Elon the Zebulunite dieth, and is buried in Aijalon, in the land of Zebulun.
13 And after him, Abdon son of Hillel, the Pirathonite, judgeth Israel,
14 and he hath forty sons, and thirty grandsons, riding on seventy ass-colts, and he judgeth Israel eight years.
15 And Abdon son of Hillel, the Pirathonite, dieth, and is buried in Pirathon, in the land of Ephraim, in the hill-country of the Amalekite.
1 The men of E'phraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, "Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire."
2 And Jephthah said to them, "I and my people had a great feud with the Ammonites; and when I called you, you did not deliver me from their hand.
3 And when I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hand, and crossed over against the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into my hand; why then have you come up to me this day, to fight against me?"
4 Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with E'phraim; and the men of Gilead smote E'phraim, because they said, "You are fugitives of E'phraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of E'phraim and Manas'seh."
5 And the Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the E'phraimites. And when any of the fugitives of E'phraim said, "Let me go over," the men of Gilead said to him, "Are you an E'phraimite?" When he said, "No,"
6 they said to him, "Then say Shibboleth," and he said, "Sibboleth," for he could not pronounce it right; then they seized him and slew him at the fords of the Jordan. And there fell at that time forty-two thousand of the E'phraimites.
7 Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died, and was buried in his city in Gilead.
8 After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
9 He had thirty sons; and thirty daughters he gave in marriage outside his clan, and thirty daughters he brought in from outside for his sons. And he judged Israel seven years.
10 Then Ibzan died, and was buried at Bethlehem.
11 After him Elon the Zeb'ulunite judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.
12 Then Elon the Zeb'ulunite died, and was buried at Ai'jalon in the land of Zeb'ulun.
13 After him Abdon the son of Hillel the Pira'thonite judged Israel.
14 He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy asses; and he judged Israel eight years.
15 Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pira'thonite died, and was buried at Pira'thon in the land of E'phraim, in the hill country of the Amal'ekites.
1 The men of Ephraim were gathered together, and passed northward; and they said to Jephthah, Why did you pass over to fight against the children of Ammon, and didn't call us to go with you? we will burn your house on you with fire.
2 Jephthah said to them, I and my people were at great strife with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, you didn't save me out of their hand.
3 When I saw that you didn't save me, I put my life in my hand, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and Yahweh delivered them into my hand: why then are you come up to me this day, to fight against me?
4 Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim; and the men of Gilead struck Ephraim, because they said, You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of Ephraim, [and] in the midst of Manasseh.
5 The Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. It was so, that when [any of] the fugitives of Ephraim said, Let me go over, the men of Gilead said to him, Are you an Ephraimite? If he said, No;
6 then said they to him, Say now Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth; for he couldn't manage to pronounce it right: then they laid hold on him, and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. There fell at that time of Ephraim forty-two thousand.
7 Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in [one of] the cities of Gilead.
8 After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.
9 He had thirty sons; and thirty daughters he sent abroad, and thirty daughters he brought in from abroad for his sons. He judged Israel seven years.
10 Ibzan died, and was buried at Bethlehem.
11 After him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years.
12 Elon the Zebulunite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
13 After him Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel.
14 He had forty sons and thirty sons' sons, who rode on seventy donkey colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
15 Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill-country of the Amalekites.
1 Now the men of Ephraim came together and took up arms and went over to Zaphon; and they said to Jephthah, Why did you go over to make war against the children of Ammon without sending for us to go with you? Now we will put your house on fire over you.
2 And Jephthah said to them, I and my people were in danger, and the children of Ammon were very cruel to us, and when I sent for you, you gave me no help against them.
3 So when I saw that there was no help to be had from you, I put my life in my hand and went over against the children of Ammon, and the Lord gave them into my hands: why then have you come up to me this day to make war on me?
4 Then Jephthah got together all the men of Gilead and made war on Ephraim; and the men of Gilead overcame Ephraim.
5 And the Gileadites took the crossing-places of Jordan against the Ephraimites; and when any of the men of Ephraim who had gone in flight said, let me go over; the men of Gilead said to him, Are you an Ephraimite? And if he said, No;
6 Then they said to him, Now say Shibboleth; and he said Sibboleth, and was not able to say it in the right way; then they took him and put him to death at the crossing-places of Jordan; and at that time forty-two thousand Ephraimites were put to death.
7 Now Jephthah was judge of Israel for six years. And Jephthah the Gileadite came to his death, and his body was put to rest in his town, Mizpeh of Gilead.
8 And after him, Ibzan of Beth-lehem was judge of Israel.
9 He had thirty sons, and thirty daughters whom he sent to other places, and he got thirty wives from other places for his sons. And he was judge of Israel for seven years.
10 And Ibzan came to his death and his body was put to rest at Beth-lehem.
11 And after him, Elon the Zebulonite was judge of Israel; and he was judge of Israel for ten years.
12 And Elon the Zebulonite came to his death, and his body was put to rest in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
13 And after him, Abdon, the son of Hillel, the Pirathonite, was judge of Israel.
14 He had forty sons and thirty sons' sons who went on seventy young asses; and he was judge of Israel for eight years.
15 And Abdon, the son of Hillel, came to his death, and his body was put to rest in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill-country of the Amalekites.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Judges 12
Commentary on Judges 12 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO JUDGES 12
This chapter relates a quarrel between Jephthah and the Ephraimites, which was fatal to the latter, Judges 12:1, the time of Jephthah judging Israel, his death and burial, Judges 12:7 and it briefly makes mention of three more judges of Israel, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon, Judges 11:8.
And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together,.... Or "cried"F18יצעק εβοησεν, Sept. "clamatus", i.e. "clamando convocatus", Piscator. "mnellius", Pimcator. ; got together by a cry or proclamation made: in the Hebrew text it is, "a man of Ephraim"; not a single man, but a body of men, who met together and joined as one man. It is highly probable that there were no less than 50,000 of them; for 42,000 of them were slain, Judges 12:6.
and went northward; or, "went over northwardF19יעבר "transivit", Pagninus, Montanus; "transiverunt", Junius et Tremellius, Piscator. "; that is, over the river Jordan, which lay between Gilead and Ephraim; and when they had crossed the river, they turned northward; for Mizpeh, where Jephthah lived, was in the north of the land, near Hermon and Lebanon, Joshua 11:3.
and said unto Jephthah, wherefore passedst thou over to fight against the children of Ammon? not over Jordan, but over that part of the land of Israel from the plain where Jephthah dwelt, to the country of the children of Ammon:
and didst not call us to go with thee? they quarrel with him just in the same manner as they did with Gideon: these Ephraimites were a proud and turbulent people, and especially were very jealous of the tribe of Manasseh, of which both Gideon and Jephthah were; the one of the half tribe on this side Jordan, and the other of the half that was on the other side; and they were jealous of both, lest any honour and glory should accrue thereunto, and they should get any superiority in any respect over them, since Jacob their father had given the preference to Ephraim; and this seems to lie at the bottom of all their proceedings:
we will burn thine house upon thee with fire; that is, burn him and his house, burn his house and him in it; which shows that they were in great wrath and fury, and argued not only the height of pride and envy, but wretched ingratitude, and a cruel disposition; who, instead of congratulating him as Israel's deliverer, and condoling him with respect to the case of his only child, threaten him in this brutish manner.
And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at a great strife with the children of Ammon,.... As to the cause of the war, or the reason of his going over to fight the children of Ammon, it was a strife or contention between the Gileadites and them, concerning their country; which the children of Ammon claimed as theirs, and the Gileadites insisted on it they had a just right to it; by which it appeared that this was not a personal contention between Jephthah and them; and therefore the Ephraimites had no reason to fall so furiously upon him particularly; and it was a contention which chiefly concerned the two tribes and a half, and not the rest; and so could not be blamed for defending themselves alone if they could, without interesting others in the quarrel: but this is not all he has to say, he adds:
and when I called you, ye delivered me not out of their hands; it seems he had called them to assist in driving the enemy out of their boarders when there, and they refused to help him; though it is not elsewhere said, and it is not denied by them, so that it was false what they alleged; or however, since they declined giving him any assistance, when the children of Ammon were in his country, he could not expect they would join him in an expedition into theirs.
And when I saw that ye delivered me not,.... Gave him no assistance against their common enemy, did not attempt to save him and his people out of their hands, but left them to defend themselves:
I put my life in my hands; ready to deliver it up in the defence of his country; the meaning is, that he exposed himself to the utmost danger, hazarded his life in going with a few troops into an enemy's country to fight him, and so liable to lose his life; which was in as much danger, as some observe, as any brittle thing contained in the hand is in danger of falling, or of being snatched out of it:
and passed over against the children of Ammon: took a long and fatiguing march over the land of Gilead into that of the children of Ammon, to fight with them:
and the Lord delivered them into my hand; gave him victory over them, which showed that his cause was just, and his call to engage in it clear:
wherefore then are ye come up unto me this day to fight against me? who rather should have come with thanks to him for the service he had done, not only for the Gileadites, but for all Israel; for had he not fought against the children of Ammon, and conquered them, they would have soon not only overrun and oppressed Gilead, but would have come over Jordan, and dispossessed the other tribes, and particularly Ephraim, as they had done already, Judges 10:9 so that it was base ingratitude in these people to come to fight against Jephthah, who had fought for them, and wrought salvation for them.
Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim,.... The Ephraimites not being pacified with the account Jephthah gave of the war between him and the children of Ammon, but continuing in their tumultuous outrage; he, being a man of spirit and courage, got as many of the Gileadites together as he could, and gave them battle:
and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim; had the advantage of them, worsted them, killed many of them, and put the rest to flight:
because they said, ye Gileadites are fugitives of Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites; what provoked them to fall upon them with the greater fury, and use them the more severely when, they had the better of them, was their reproachful language to them, insulting the Gileadites, who perhaps were chiefly, if not all, of the half tribe of Manasseh beyond Jordan, of which Jephthah was, that they were the scum of the house of Joseph, that they had run away from their brethren, and dwelt in a corner of the land by themselves; and were of no account at all among Ephraim and Manasseh, and disclaimed by them both, and not esteemed by either. The Targum is,"the fugitives of Ephraim said, what are ye Gileadites accounted of among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites?'on which Kimchi remarks, that those Ephraimites that came in this tumultuous manner, and insulted Jephthah, were a most abject company of men, the refuse of the tribe of Ephraim, shepherds who through necessity were obliged to come over Jordan with their flocks and herds for pasture: but the words may be rendered, "for they said, fugitives of Ephraim are ye, even the Gileadites, who were, or being between the Ephraimites and the Manassites"; that is, the Gileadites called the Ephraimites so, when they fled before them, and when they got at the fords of Jordan, which lay between Ephraim and the half tribe of Manasseh on the other side Jordan; and they are in the next verse expressly so called.
And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the Ephraimites,.... Being either swifter of foot, or going a nearer and shorter way, being better acquainted with their own country:
and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were escaped said, let me go over; the fugitives of Ephraim, as before called, who ran away from the battle, made their escape, and the best of their way to the passages of Jordan, to get over there to their own country:
that the men of Gilead said unto him; to everyone of them, as they came up:
art thou an Ephraimite? or an Ephrathite; for so it seems those of the tribe of Ephraim were called, as Jeroboam, 1 Kings 11:26.
if he said, nay; that he was not an Ephraimite;
Then said they unto him, say now "Shibboleth",.... Which signifies a stream or course of water, at which they now were; and so it was as if they had bid them say,"may I, or let me, pass over the stream of this river;'so Jarchi; and this being the case, though it was done to try them, and by their pronunciation learn whether they were Ephraimites or not, they were not upon their guard, but in an hurry, and at once expressed the word as they commonly did:
and he said, sibboleth; pronouncing the letter "shin" as if it was "sin", or a "samech"; just as the French, as Kimchi observes, pronounce "s" like a "t"; and though the Gileadites and Ephraimites were of the same nation of Israel, and spoke the same language, yet their pronunciation differed, as did that of the Galilean Jews from others in the times of Christ, Matthew 26:73, and so in all nations, among the Greeks, Romans, and among ourselves, people in different counties pronounce in a different manner; which Kimchi thinks was in the Ephraimites owing to the air or climate, as the French, he observes, pronounce "s" as a "t", with a soft and gentle sound:
for he could not frame to pronounce it right; or "thus"F20כן "sic", Pagninus, Montanus. , as he was bid to do; being used to pronounce otherwise, he could not frame the organs of speech, or so dispose and order them as to say "shibboleth"; or he did not frame, order, and disposeF21לא נכון "non dirigebat", Montanus. ; he was not careful to do it, though with some care he could, being not aware of the design of the Gileadites in it:
then they took him and slew him at the passages of Jordan; everyone as they came thither, who could not say "shibboleth"; these they suffered not to pass over, but slew them:
and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand; not at the passages of Jordan only; but what fell there, with those at the battle, and in the pursuit, amounted to this number; so that the Ephraimites paid dearly for their pride and insolence.
And Jephthah judged Israel six years,.... After the affair of the Ephraimites, he was acknowledged by all Israel as their judge and supreme governor, but did not live long; being perhaps depressed and worn away with grief, on account of his daughter, and other troubles that attended him:
then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead: it is not said in what city he was buried, but very probably it was in his own city Mizpeh, where he dwelt. JosephusF23Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7. sect. 12. says it was in his own country, Sebee, a city of Gilead.
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 saysF24Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7. sect. 13. , 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 RabbinsF25T. Bab. Bava Bathra, fol. 91. 1. are of opinion that he is the same with Ibzan; so Jarchi and Ben Gersom.
And he had thirty sons and thirty daughters,.... Which was a very uncommon case for a man to have so many children, and those as to their sex to be equal. Between the former judge and him there was a great difference, in respect of this circumstance of children; he had but one daughter, an only child; and she, by reason of his vow, not suffered to marry. Such a difference does God, in his all wise Providence, make even among good men: nor is this any certain characteristic of a good man. Danaus had fifty daughters, and his brother Egyptus fifty sons, who were married to each other; and the husbands were all slain by their wives but one, on the wedding night, and so far from being happy in them: but it was otherwise with this judge:
whom he sent abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons; his daughters he sent abroad, or married them, to persons not of another nation, nor of another tribe, but of another family of the same tribe, and these he dismissed from him to live with their husbands; and he took in daughters of families in the same tribe to be wives to his sons, and who seem to have dwelt together; it being the custom then for sons, though married, to abide with their father, and their wives with them; as Abarbinel says is the custom at Zenobia unto this day:
and he judged Israel seven years; and in his days the wars of Troy are saidF26Juchasin, fol. 136. 1. to begin; but they began in the times of Jephthah his predecessor, and ended in hisF1Gerard. Vossii Isagoge Chron. dissert. 1. p. 4. .
Then died Ibzan, and was buried in Bethlehem. He died at the end of his seven years of government, and was buried in his native place; nothing memorable having happened during his being judge; this is all that is recorded of him.
And after him Elon a Zebulonite judged Israel,.... One of the tribe of Zebulun:
and he judged Israel ten years; administered justice to them, preserved them in the true religion, and from idolatry; though it does not appear that any enemies arose in his time against them, from whom he delivered them.
And Elon the Zebulonite died,.... At the end of his ten years of government:
and was buried in Aijalon in the country of Zebulun; which is added to distinguish it from another Aijalon in the tribe of Dan Judges 1:35.
And after him Abdon the son of Hillell, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. So called from Pirathon, where he was born, and which was in the tribe of Ephraim, as appears from Judges 12:15.
And he had forty sons, and thirty nephews,.... Or sons' sons, that is, grandsons; so that he lived not only to see his sons married, but his grandchildren grown up to men's estate; since it follows:
that rode on seventy ass colts; who were either employed by him to ride about on these animals, which in those times were honourable; see Judges 5:10 to administer justice throughout the nation in their circuits; or rather, not following any trade, or being concerned in husbandry, or feeding cattle, but being men of estates, rode about like gentlemen:
and he judged Israel eight years; in his time it is saidF2Juchasin, ut supra. (fol. 136. 1.) the city of Troy was destroyed; so EusebiusF3Evangel. Praepar. l. 10. c. 11. p. 484. , who calls this judge Labdon, though he elsewhereF4Evangel. Praepar. l. 10. c. 11. p. 503. places it in the times of Eli; See Gill on Judges 12:9.
And Abdon the son of Hillell the Pirathonite died,.... At the end of his eight years' government:
and was buried at Pirathon, in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites; in the place where he was born, and from whence he had the name of a Pirathonite; and this was in the tribe of Ephraim, and the particular spot was Mount Amalek; so called either from the name of the person to whom it belonged, or because the Amalekites formerly dwelt in it; or rather because of some remarkable advantage got over them at this place: here, Josephus saysF5Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 5. c. 7.) sect. 15. , this judge had a magnificent funeral.