Abdon

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ABDON

ABDON (Heb. עַבְדּוֹן), a name occurring in the Bible in several different contexts. (1) Abdon the son of Hillel, a minor judge, who came from a town in Ephraim, possibly to be identified with the village Faraʿata southwest of Shechem (Judg. 12:13–15). He "judged" Israel for eight years. The Bible states that "he had 40 sons and 30 grandsons, making 70 descendants who rode on 70 donkeys." This statement may be intended to indicate that Abdon and his descendants had widespread influence and wealth. (2) Abdon the son of Micah (ii Chron. 34:20), probably corrupt for *Achbor the son of Micaiah (ii Kings 22:12–14). (3) A Benjamite family (i Chron. 8:12, 30; 9:36).

bibliography:

Y. Kaufmann, Sefer Shofetim (1962), 234; M.Z. Segal, Sifrei Shemu'el (1964), 88; Noth, Personennamen, index; Hertzberg, in: Theologische Literaturzeitung, 79 (1954).