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Bible Encyclopedias
Abdon
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or (Heb. Abdon', עְְבדּוֹן and עְְבדוֹן, servile; Sept. Ἀβδών ), the name of four men and one city.
1. The son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, of the tribe of Ephraim, and the twelfth Judge of Israel for eight years, B.C. 1233-1225. His administration appears to have been peaceful (ςΑβδων , Josephus, Ant. 5, 7, 15); for nothing is recorded of him but that he had forty sons and thirty nephews, who rode on young asses — a mark of their consequence (Judges 12:13-15). He is probably the BEDAN (See BEDAN) referred to in 1 Samuel 12:11.
2. The first-born of Jehiel, of the tribe of Benjamin, apparently by his wife Maachab, and resident at Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 8:30; 1 Chronicles 9:36), B.C. ante 1093.
3. The son of Micah, and one of the persons sent by King Josiah to ascertain of the prophetess Huldah the meaning of the recently-discovered look of the Law (2 Chronicles 34:20), B.C. 628. In the parallel passage (2 Kings 22:12) he is called ACHBOR (See ACHBOR) , the son of Michaiah.
4. A "son" of Shashak, and chief Benjamite of Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 8:23), B.C. ante 598.
5. A Levitical town of the Gershonites, in the tribe of Asher, mentioned between Mishal or Mashal and Helkath or Hukkok (Joshua 21:30; 1 Chronicles 6:74). The same place, according to several MSS., is mentioned in Joshua 19:28, instead of HEBRON (See HEBRON) (Reland, Palest. p. 518). Under this latter form Schwarz (Palest. p. 192) identifies it with a village, Ebra, which he affirms lies in the valley of the Leontes, south of Kulat Shakif; perhaps the place by the name of Abnon marked in this region on Robinson's map (new ed. of Researches). It is probably identical with the ruined site Abdeh, 8 or 9 miles N.E. of Accho (Van de Velde, Memoir, p. 280).
ADDENDUM FROM VOLUME 11:
The modern Abdeh was examined by Tristram carefully, who found traces of a very extensive town, with sculptures of the Greek period, and a solitary column standing out in the plain at no great distance" (Bible Places, p. 292).
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Abdon'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/a/abdon.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
