Judges 12:8

“And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.] There were two Bethlehems, one in the tribe of Zebulun, (<061915>Joshua 19:15) of which some think this man was; and another in the tribe of Judah, the city of Jesse and David, and of the Messiah; and Josephus says f254, Ibzan was of the tribe of Judah, of the city of Bethlehem; and because Boaz was of the same place, and lived in the times of the judges, the Jewish Rabbins f255 are of opinion that he is the same with Ibzan; so Jarchi and Ben Gersom.”

“Ibzan of Bethlehem - Some have fancied him the same as Boaz Ruth 2:1 of Bethlehem-Judah. Others, from the juxtaposition of Elon the Zebulonite Judges 12:11, understand Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebulon Joshua 19:15. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Ibzan: am 2823, bc 1181, An, Ex, Is, 310, "He seems to have been only a civil judge to do justice in North-east Israel." Bethlehem: Gen 15:19; Sa1 16:1; Mic 5:2; Mat 2:1 Judges 12:9”

“Of these three judges no particular deeds are related, just as in the case of Tola and Jair (see the remarks on Jdg 10:1). But it certainly follows from the expression אחריו ויּשׁפּט ( Jdg 12:8, Jdg 12:11, Jdg 12:13) that they were one after another successors of Jephthah, and therefore that their office of judge also extended simply over the tribes on the east of the Jordan, and perhaps the northern tribes on this side. Jdg 12:8-10 Ibzan sprang from Bethlehem,-hardly, however, the town of that name in the tribe of Judah, as Josephus affirms (Ant. v. 7, 13), for that is generally distinguished either as Bethlehem "of Judah" ( Jdg 17:7, Jdg 17:9; Rut 1:2; Sa1 17:12), or Bethlehem Ephratah (…”