Judg 12:9 | KingComments | STEP | After Jephthah there are again a number of judges of whom not much is said, just like after the reign of Abimelech ( ). Together, the three following judges account for twenty-five years of rest. If we may have a time of rest, it is a gift from God. He gives this to us as an opportunity to strengthen us spiritually and not to sleep. The judges mentioned are in contrast to the failure of Jephthah. The first is called Ibzan, which means ‘purity’. Already something has been said about purity in our personal lives and in the fellowship of believers of which we are part. James speaks in his letter of wisdom as the origin of purity and the place it occupies in wisdom: “The wisdom from above is first pure” ( ). Here we see that purity comes from a wisdom that has its source in heaven, in God, and that this wisdom on earth works first and foremost ‘purity’. This is because wisdom has an eye for the corruption that is in the world and through which it is surrounded. Whoever lives in purity, that is to say in fellowship with God, will experience peace in his heart, and peace will radiate from him. Therefore James says that the wisdom from above is “then peaceable”. What follows, all connects to what is needed to live in a completely unclean world. The wisdom that is from above, may show in the midst of it what is found in God. But, as said, it starts with purity, the meaning of the name Ibzan. Ibzan comes from Bethlehem, which means ‘bread house’. This is what every faith community should be. A local church will be a “bread house” for the hungry soul if especially the overseers take into account the purity and holiness necessary to count on the presence of God. The contrast with Jephthah is evident from what Ibzan does. Instead of sacrificing his own daughter and killing his brothers, he has growth and multiplication. He has all his thirty daughters married. They take the purity they have seen with their father to their new surroundings. Thus he passes on the principle of purity which he himself upholds. The same applies to his sons, who support his personal position. This can be inferred from the fact that they stay with him. Thus, every overseer who acts faithfully, that is, according to the principles of God’s Word, can count on expansion and support of those principles by others. All his sons and all his daughters marry. Ibzan must have had a family of which every young man and every young woman liked to be part of by marrying one of his children. It is good for parents to see their children fall in love with and marry believers from other local churches to go with him or her the way of the Lord and serve Him in their life. Ibzan did not stay at home, but goes out for his children. He also lets his children leave in peace when he has found a good place for them. His good influence on Israel lasted seven years. The number seven indicates completeness, as we have seen before. The period that he judges must have been a blessing for the people. The place from which he comes, also becomes the place of his burial.

‏ Judges 12:9

Ibzan

After Jephthah there are again a number of judges of whom not much is said, just like after the reign of Abimelech (Jdg 10:1-5). Together, the three following judges account for twenty-five years of rest. If we may have a time of rest, it is a gift from God. He gives this to us as an opportunity to strengthen us spiritually and not to sleep.

The judges mentioned are in contrast to the failure of Jephthah. The first is called Ibzan, which means ‘purity’. Already something has been said about purity in our personal lives and in the fellowship of believers of which we are part. James speaks in his letter of wisdom as the origin of purity and the place it occupies in wisdom: “The wisdom from above is first pure” (Jam 3:17). Here we see that purity comes from a wisdom that has its source in heaven, in God, and that this wisdom on earth works first and foremost ‘purity’. This is because wisdom has an eye for the corruption that is in the world and through which it is surrounded.

Whoever lives in purity, that is to say in fellowship with God, will experience peace in his heart, and peace will radiate from him. Therefore James says that the wisdom from above is “then peaceable”. What follows, all connects to what is needed to live in a completely unclean world. The wisdom that is from above, may show in the midst of it what is found in God. But, as said, it starts with purity, the meaning of the name Ibzan.

Ibzan comes from Bethlehem, which means ‘bread house’. This is what every faith community should be. A local church will be a “bread house” for the hungry soul if especially the overseers take into account the purity and holiness necessary to count on the presence of God.

The contrast with Jephthah is evident from what Ibzan does. Instead of sacrificing his own daughter and killing his brothers, he has growth and multiplication. He has all his thirty daughters married. They take the purity they have seen with their father to their new surroundings. Thus he passes on the principle of purity which he himself upholds.

The same applies to his sons, who support his personal position. This can be inferred from the fact that they stay with him. Thus, every overseer who acts faithfully, that is, according to the principles of God’s Word, can count on expansion and support of those principles by others.

All his sons and all his daughters marry. Ibzan must have had a family of which every young man and every young woman liked to be part of by marrying one of his children. It is good for parents to see their children fall in love with and marry believers from other local churches to go with him or her the way of the Lord and serve Him in their life. Ibzan did not stay at home, but goes out for his children. He also lets his children leave in peace when he has found a good place for them.

His good influence on Israel lasted seven years. The number seven indicates completeness, as we have seen before. The period that he judges must have been a blessing for the people. The place from which he comes, also becomes the place of his burial.