The eleventh judge of Israel was Abdon. His name means “servant.” He ruled from 1063BC-1058BC, approximately 8 years.
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Today we are studying Judges Chapter 12.
SON OF HILLEL
Abdon was a son of Hillel. Hillel’s name means “praise.” Many suppose the father of Abdon was the first of a long line of Hillels who were known for creating praise songs that came to be called “Hillels.” These songs became an important part of Hebraic worship. Many of them are found in The Book of Psalms.
Perhaps Abdon has childhood memories of waking each morning to the sound of his father’s voice praising The Lord. That would have been a wonderful way for a young judge to grow up.
To compose praise songs for God; one had to know God. It seems that many godly men were in the Hilell lineage. One very famous Jewish Rabbi in later history was named Hilell.
40 SONS AND 30 NEPHEWS
Abdon , as well as his father Hillel, was a Pirathonite, which meant he came from the tribe of Ephraim.
My bible says that Abdon had 40 sons and 30 Nephews who rode on 30 ass colts. You may have noticed by now that many young city rulers rode on the colt of a donkey. This is a recognition of royalty to the people of their cities. Many of the colts mentioned were white.
To have a white donkey for transportation almost always meant you were ruler over a city. Therefore; we know that Abdon used his sons and nephews to rule the cities of Israel while he was judge.
THE HONOR OF BEING A DONKEY COLT
This gives a lot more weight to the later history of Christianity when we see the Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem by Jesus Christ. He was riding on the young colt of a donkey. Jesus was going to rule over Jerusalem one day and this made the statement of his true identity and the fact that He was royalty. The people in the crowd would have known and related to that fact. He spoke of who He really was without using words in that triumphant entry into The Holy City.
This well-used and known cultural tradition started way back in the days of the Judges of Israel. Not only did riding a young colt of a donkey speak of the fact that you were royal and ruled over a city; it also said that you were related to the One who was King, or the head of all the nations.
Abdon’s sons and nephews (which were probably also adopted sons in order to make them legal heirs) received their importance and recognition as rulers under Abdon.
EIGHT YEARS OF PEACE FOR ISRAEL
Judge Abdon ruled for eight years. Eight is a good number for a Judge.
Not a lot more is said or known about Abdon, but I do love Matthew Henry’s commentary which follows:
“The happiest life of individuals, and the happiest state of society, is that which affords the fewest remarkable events. To live in credit and quiet, to be peacefully useful to those around us, to possess a clear conscience; but, above all, and without which nothing can avail, to enjoy communion with God our Saviour while we live, and to die at peace with God and man, form the substance of all that a wise man can desire.”
Abdon was buried in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim in the mount of the Amalekites.