Who and what is…
Abdon

Hebrew: עַבְדוֹן —transliteration: Abdon —meaning: servile; servitude

This is the name of 4 biblical men and a city. It appears 8 times in Scripture.

  1. Abdon, the son of Hillel

    His father is called a Pirathonite. Abdon was a judge of Israel (Judges 12:13-15).

    Upon his death, Abdon was buried in Pirathon.

    He is probably the Bedan of 1 Samuel 12:11.

  2. Abdon, a Benjamite and Gibeonite

    He was the firstborn of Gibeon of the tribe of Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:30; 1 Chr. 9:36).

    King Saul was his nephew.

  3. Abdon, the son of Micah

    also known as: Achbor (2 Kings 22:12)

    He is one of those whom King Josiah sent to the prophetess Huldah to find the meaning of the recently discovered book of the law (2 Chronicles 34:20).

  4. Abdon, one of the “sons” of a man named Shashak

    He was a Benjamite (1 Chronicles 8:23)

    Shashak is an ancestor of King Saul and the father of Elam in the Books of Chronicles (1 Chronicles 8:14). He, like Beriah, Shema, Elpaal, and Jeremoth, was the head of his family (or clan) and lived in post-exile Jerusalem.

  5. Abdon, a Levitical town

    This was a town of the Gershonites, within the tribal land of Asher (Joshua 21:30; 1 Chronicles 6:74).

    Archaeology

    The ruins of Abdeh probably mark its site. This is located 8 miles northeast of Acre, Israel (a.k.a. Akre, Accho, Akko, Acco, Ace, Akke, and Akka).

    Modern Acre, Israel—satellite view

More information

Article Version: January 13, 2025