Ibzan
Ib'zan (Heb. Ibtsan', אַבצָן, from אָבִוֹ, to shine, hence illustrious; but accord. to Gesen. perh. of tin, or grievous, from the Chald.; Sept. Ε᾿βεσάν v.r. Α᾿βαισσάν; Joseph. Α᾿ψάνης, Ant. 5, 7, 13), the tenth "judge of Israel" (Jg 12:8-10). He was of Bethlehem probably the Bethlehem of Zebulun (so Michaelis and Hezel), and not of Judah (as Josephus says). He governed seven years, B.C. 1249-1243. The prosperity of Ibzan is marked by the great number of his children (thirty sons and thirty daughters), and his wealth by their marriages-for they were all married. Some have held, with little probability, that Ibzan was the same with Boaz.-Kitto.
