Judges 12:8-15 – Don’t lose sight of whose we are

The rule of Jephthah was short and he died and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead. After his departure, Judges 12:8-15 describe for us the reign of three relatively unknown judges. They were Ibzan, Elon and Abdon. Not much has been said of them but the things that are revealed about them are intended to show us how badly the office of the judge had worsened. Since Gideon had faded off the scene there was no mention of the God- given rest they enjoyed in the reign of the earlier judges. These three judges which we are about to deliberate probably were judging their respective tribes simultaneously. Meanwhile, we see that they were being harassed by the Philistines.

Verses 8-10 narrate for us the short reign of Ibzan of Bethlehem. He had thirty sons and also thirty daughters. This is an indication that he, like Jephthah, had many wives. He allowed his sons to marry women from outside of their community. He also gave his daughters in marriage to the people other than the Israelites. The intermarriages he allowed violated God’s instruction for them to remain separated from the people of Canaan. He had inevitably opened the way for ungodly influences to infiltrate the community. After serving the tribe of Zebulun for seven years, Ibzan died and was buried in his hometown.  

Elon’s rule as a judge is described in verses 11-12. All that is said about him was that he came from the tribe of Zebulun and he led for ten years. There was nothing much that he had accomplished. He was a leader who came to occupy the position and had a name but he had done no great exploit for the people. In verses 13-15, we learn about Addon, another lesser-known judge. He was referred to as the Pirathonite, meaning he hailed from the city known as Pirathon. Verse 15 tells us this city was located “…in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.” The blatant flaw in his life is suggested by verse 14 that describes him as having “forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys.” Since he was from Ephraim, his judgeship could be seen as restoring a little shine to his tribe. Remember how his tribe was humiliated by Jephthah and the people of Gilead. He only led for eight years and died.

The stories of these three judges tell us how needful it is for God’s leaders and His people to stay mindful of whose they are. When we lose sight of God, we tend to live life without considering Him. When that happens, we become insensitive to Him and live a life that's less than what He has intended for us to have. Let us never lose sight of whose we are and that we must live in ways that will honour God.