Abdon the Son of Hillel, a Pirathonite

2022-04-12

And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged Israel. And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years. And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites. (Judges 12:13-15)

Abdon was a judge who delegated his authority to his sons and nephews. His practice was reminiscent of Jair, who also had his sons ride on donkeys. This practice perhaps indicated a period of peace, as we inferred in the case of Jair.

He was buried near his homeland, but it is unclear why he was buried in a mountain attributed to the Amalekites. It could possibly mean he died in a skirmish with them. We do not know. But it would explain that if he died suddenly in battle, there was a leadership vacuum, which explains the reverting to idol worship after his death.

His death was the end of an age of peace; after him was a forty-year period of Philistine domination.

This is a part of the Judges of Israel series. To go back to the table of contents, proceed here.