Illustration created for this project.
Abdon
A judge whose forty sons and thirty grandsons rode seventy donkeys.
What we know — and how we know it
Bible — stated in scripture (with verse) · 1
Scholarly — supported scholarly belief · 1
Tribe & people
Name & titles
ScholarlyThe name Abdon derives from the Hebrew root ʿ-b-d, 'to serve,' and is generally understood to mean 'servile' or 'little servant.' It belongs to a well-attested West Semitic naming pattern built on servitude to a deity or king (as in Obadiah, 'servant of Yah').
Onomastic analysis of Hebrew עַבְדּוֹן (ʿAbdon), root ʿābad; no inscription or non-biblical writer names the minor judge Abdon son of Hillel.
Where in scripture
JudgesHe had forty sons and thirty sons’ sons, who rode on seventy donkey colts. He judged Israel eight years.
Judges 12:14 — His many sons
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.