Judges 12 · a question people ask
Why does the book say so little about Ibzan, Elon and Abdon?
The text doesn't say why. It gives each man the same few things: where he came from, that he "judged Israel", for how many years, his family if it is large, and where he was buried (12:8-15). "After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel" (12:8); "He judged Israel seven years" (12:9). "After him, Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel; and he judged Israel ten years" (12:11). "After him, Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel" (12:13); "He judged Israel eight years" (12:14). Tola and Jair are also told in a few verses, just before Jephthah (10:1-5). The text names no enemy in these years, and it doesn't say that these three saved Israel, as it says of Tola, who "arose to save Israel" (10:1). After Abdon, "The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight" (13:1).
The verses
“After Abimelech, Tola the son of Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, arose to save Israel. He lived in Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim. He judged Israel twenty-three years, and died, and was buried in Shamir. After him Jair, the Gileadite, arose. He judged Israel twenty-two years. He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkey colts. They had thirty cities, which are called Havvoth Jair to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. Jair died, and was buried in Kamon.”
“The children of Israel again did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.”