Keil and Delitzsch Commentary - Judges 12:8 - 12:8

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Keil and Delitzsch Commentary - Judges 12:8 - 12:8


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

Of these three judges no particular deeds are related, just as in the case of Tola and Jair (see the remarks on Jdg 10:1). But it certainly follows from the expression אַחֲרָיו וַיִּשְׁפֹּט (Jdg 12:8, Jdg 12:11, Jdg 12:13) that they were one after another successors of Jephthah, and therefore that their office of judge also extended simply over the tribes on the east of the Jordan, and perhaps the northern tribes on this side.

Jdg 12:8-10

Ibzan sprang from Bethlehem,-hardly, however, the town of that name in the tribe of Judah, as Josephus affirms (Ant. v. 7, 13), for that is generally distinguished either as Bethlehem “of Judah” (Jdg 17:7, Jdg 17:9; Rth 1:2; 1Sa 17:12), or Bethlehem Ephratah (Mic 5:1), but probably Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebulun (Jos 9:15). He had thirty sons and thirty daughters, the latter of whom he sent away הַחוּצָה (out of his house), i.e., gave them in marriage, and brought home thirty women in their places from abroad as wives for his sons. He judged Israel seven years, and was buried in Bethlehem.

Jdg 12:11-12

His successor was Elon the Zebulunite, who died after filling the office of judge for ten years, and was buried at Aijalon, in the land of Zebulun. This Aijalon has probably been preserved in the ruins of Jalûn, about four hours' journey to the east of Akka, and half an hour to the S.S.W. of Mejdel Kerun (see V. de Velde, Mem. p. 283).

Jdg 12:13-15

He was followed by the judge Abdon, the son of Hillel of Pirathon. This place, where Abdon died and was buried after holding the office of judge for eight years, was in the land of Ephraim, on the mountains of the Amalekites (Jdg 12:15). It is mentioned in 2Sa 23:30 and 1Ch 11:31 as the home of Benaiah the hero; it is the same as Φαραθώ (read Φαραθόν) in 1 Macc. 9:50, and Joseph. Ant. xiii. 1, 3, and has been preserved in the village of Feráta, about two hours and a half to the S.S.W. of Nabulus (see Rob. Bibl. Res. p. 134, and V. de Velde, Mem. p. 340). On the riding of his sons and daughters upon asses, see at Jdg 10:4.