What is…
Pirathon

also possibly known as: Pharathon1

Hebrew: פִרְעָתוֹן —transliteration: Pirathon —suggested meanings: fruitful, prince, or summit

This is an ancient town “in the land of Ephraim” in the hill country of the Amalekites. Its people are called Pirathonites.

Abdon, the judge of the people of Israel before they had kings, is called the son of a Pirathonite (Hillel). Upon his death, Abdon was buried in Pirathon (Judg. 12:15).

The exact location of this town is still uncertain. The modern Far'ata, Israel (aka فرعتة, Farata, and Fera'ata) has been suggested, but not proven.

Far'ata, Israel—satellite view
  1. Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton, The Septuagint version of the Old Testament (Samuel Bagster & Sons, London: 1844). The Codex Vaticanus was used as his primary source. Brenton’s is said to have been the most widely used translation until the publication of A New English Translation of the Septuagint (NETS), 2007, based upon the Göttingen Septuagint (primary), and Rahlfs’ Septuagint.

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