Bible Dictionaries
Hillel

Holman Bible Dictionary

(hihl' lehl) Personal name meaning, “praise.” 1. Father of the judge Abdon (Judges 12:13 ). 2 . An influential rabbi and Talmudic scholar who flourished just prior to the time of the ministry of Jesus. He and his colleague Shammai presided over the two most important rabbinic schools of their time. Hillel was the more liberal of the two, and his emphases have largely determined the direction taken by Judaism since his era.