Ibzan's judgeship 12:8-10

Ibzan, whose name comes from a root meaning "swift,"was notable for his 30 sons and 30 daughters, a sign of prestige and wealth in the ancient Near East (cf. 8:30). He contrasts with Jephthah who had only one daughter. Apparently Ibzan was a polygamist, and Jephthah was not. His "marriages probably cemented clan alliances and extended the scope of his political influence."²³⁷Ibzan lived in Bethlehem of Zebulun. The writer always identified Bethlehem of Judah as Bethlehem of Judah elsewhere in the text of Judges.