AFTER HIM, IBZAN of Bethlehem led Israel. 9He had thirty sons and thirty daughters. He gave his daughters away in marriage to those outside his clan, and for his sons he brought in thirty young women as wives from outside his clan. Ibzan led Israel seven years. 10Then Ibzan died, and was buried in Bethlehem.
11After him, Elon the Zebulunite led Israel ten years. 12Then Elon died, and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.
13After him, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, led Israel. 14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel eight years. 15Then Abdon son of Hillel died, and was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.
Original Meaning
AFTER THE JEPHTHAH cycle the narrative introduces three noncyclical/minor judges: Ibzan of Bethlehem, Elon the Zebulunite, and Abdon son of Hillel. The introductory formula (v. 8) unites these three noncyclical/minor judges distinctively from the prior one- and two-minor judge enumerations (see the introduction).
Ibzan (12:8–10)
AFTER THE TWO Transjordanian Gileadites, Jair and Jephthah, the judgeship returns to the Cisjordan (i.e., the west bank of the Jordan). Most scholars refer the Bethlehem mentioned in connection with Ibzan (12:8–10) to the northern Bethlehem of Joshua 19:15, on the Asher-Zebulun border, though there is no consensus here.1
A personal detail is given about Ibzan: “He had thirty sons and thirty daughters.” This is, on the one hand, similar to the information given about Jair (“thirty sons”), but on the other hand, contrastive to the facts about Jephthah (thirty daughters vs. one daughter). Thus, the just-completed tragic story of Jephthah and his “one daughter,” an only child, is followed by this short note about a judge who has “thirty daughters” and brings in a further “thirty daughters” from outside his clan as wives for his thirty sons! Of all the judges, daughters are mentioned only in connection with these two, Jephthah and Ibzan. After Jephthah’s barrenness comes Ibzan’s fecundity; the contrast serves to underscore the tragic barrenness suffered by Jephthah in consequence of his vow.
After the Gideon account and its complementary sequel about Abimelech, the references to the number of sons of the judges seems to indicate that from Gideon on judgeship is always on the verge of turning into kingship, with sons succeeding fathers to office.2 Again, in order to have thirty sons and thirty daughters (sixty children!),3 one must have a substantial harem (between thirteen and twenty-four wives) and the resources to support such a harem (i.e., monarchic-type resources).
The marriages mentioned here are not just a trivial note. Ibzan deliberately arranges for marriages of all his children to individuals outside his family or clan.4 In a tribal societal context, this is clearly a means of building and securing one’s power base. These marriages cement clan alliances and extend the scope of Ibzan’s political influence. Like Jair before him, Ibzan is not concerned with “saving” Israel from anyone; rather, his interests are in building an endowment for himself and his sons. Thus, the self-interest motif continues in both the cyclical/major and noncyclical/minor judges.
Elon (12:11–12)
NOTHING IS REALLY reported about Elon the Zebulunite except the length of his judgeship and the place of his burial. His name is usually interpreted to mean “oak” or “terebinth.” The name Elon is also that of a clan in the tribe of Zebulun (Gen. 46:14; Num. 26:26).5 There may be a wordplay between the name Elon (ʾêlôn) and the judge’s burial place Aijalon (ʾayyālôn) (the two words are spelled the same in the unpointed, consonantal Hebrew script).6 This may indicate that Elon gave his name to the town from which he governed.7
ABDON’S JUDGESHIP IS centralized in “Pirathon in Ephraim” (12:15).8 Like Jair, he has sons who ride on donkeys; but unlike Jair, he has forty, not thirty, and he has grandsons who ride donkeys too (thirty in number). Like Gideon, his total progeny comes to “seventy.”
As in the notice about Jair in 10:4, the statement that they “rode on seventy donkeys” may seem humorous to Westerners, but in its ancient Near Eastern context, monarchs in the Levant often rode on donkeys (see comments on 10:4). Thus, like Jair’s sons, Abdon’s sons riding on donkeys is evidence of their royal-type power over their region. But, unlike Jair, Abdon has extended the control to another generation. Nevertheless, they are no more than royal wannabes—parodies of kingship.
The notice about Abdon’s death and burial completes the noncyclical/minor judge notes. There is, however, a tremendous irony at this point. The final phrase of verse 15 states that this last of the noncyclical/minor judges is buried not in Israel but “in the hill country of the Amalekites.”9 Whose land is this? Have the Israelites dropped to such a level of living that they are being absorbed into the peoples of the land? This is not the note we would have hoped the noncyclical/minor judges’ presentations to end on.
Bridging Contexts
WHILE THESE NONCYCLICAL/MINOR judge notices are all brief, they seem to play a role in the cycles section of the book. Generally commentators do one of two things with the noncyclical/minor judges. Either they comment briefly on the notices without any attempt at tying them into the interpretation of the larger context, or they understand them as notices of short periods of peace within the many wars documented primarily in the cyclical/major judge narratives.
If the definition of a “judge” (šōpēṭ) as we have posited it is correct (see the introduction, pp. 21–22), and if the criteria for evaluating the judges apply to both the cyclical/major judges and these noncyclical/minor judges, then it seems that the noncyclical judges function literarily through their one-two-three pattern to reinforce the overall message of the cycles section (see the introduction, pp. 42–43). In other words, they strengthen the message of moral declivity that is communicated in the cycles section.
With Shamgar (3:31), there are many questions but few answers. For example, did Israel do evil in the eyes of the Yahweh? Did God sell/give them into the hands of the Philistines? What is clear is that Shamgar—though a non-Israelite—saved Israel. Israel’s salvation came from an unexpected source, in an unexpected manner. Despite the brevity of the vignette, Shamgar is the most successful of the noncyclical/minor judges in fulfilling the role of judge. Like Othniel (first cyclical/major judge), while the account is limited, what is recorded argues for his ideal position among the minor judges.
With Tola (10:1–2), there are also more questions than answers. He saves Israel, but from whom? He is a man of Issachar, but why does he live in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim? The former question can be evaluated positively—he did save Israel—but not as positively as the statement about Shamgar since at least some basic details are given for his delivering activity. The latter question is difficult to answer, but the fact that the text naturally raises this question in the minds of ancient readers seems to merit some reservations.
In the case of Jair (10:3–5), matters are much clearer. He is interested in wealth and power. He has a harem with thirty sons, who ride on thirty donkeys (a clear sign of rulership and power) and who control thirty towns in a district named after him. This is raw wealth and power. It strongly hints at a materialistic orientation. In this respect, he is pictured in the mold of Gideon.
With Ibzan (12:8–10), the trend set by Jair is extended. He has a harem with thirty sons and thirty daughters. His great concern is to make sure that these sons and daughters marry individuals outside his clan in order to build alliances and his base of power. This too paints a picture of self-interested power and materialism in the mold of Gideon.
In the case of Elon (12:11–12), we have no definite information. But if his name is meant as a pun on the place name Aijalon, indicating that he gave it its name, or if his name is a pun with “little despot” (ʾayilôn, see footnote 6), then he is a further comment on the declivity of the noncyclical/minor judges. But this is uncertain.
With Abdon (12:13–15), however, the trend started with Jair (and Gideon before him) comes to its climax. He has forty sons and thirty grandsons who ride on seventy donkeys. Abdon has extended his power to another generation. Ironically, however, this last noncyclical/minor judge is buried in the hill country of the Amalekites (which strongly hints at Israel’s inability to possess the land).
After Gideon, it seems as if judgeship is always on the verge of turning into kingship, with sons succeeding fathers in office.10 From the little information given, these judges seem to be dominated by power and wealth concerns.
THE NONCYCLICAL/MINOR JUDGES give evidence (like their major judge counterparts) of a spiritual and moral degeneration. Rather than living up to their responsibilities in “saving” Israel and “stimulating Israel to godly living,” aside from Shamgar and Tola, they are, in the main, characterized as self-interested materialists hungry for power. Such a negative characterization serves as a warning to us today. In a culture that promotes self-interest and materialism and that worships power, such activity does not work the works of God.