Juízes 12

Juízes 12

Vernon McGee: "Abdon did nothing except “out-Jair” Jair. Talk about keeping up with the Jones family! As we have seen in chap10:3-5, Jair had 30 sons—but Abdon had 40 sons and 30 nephews besides. It must have been quite a sight to see that man ride out of town with his sons and nephews. You would have seen a parade of Jaguars, Mustangs, Pintos, and Cougars like you had never seen before. They call the little donkey the “mockingbird” or “lark” of the desert because he can really bray. Just think of all of those braying donkeys! That is all Abdon contributed. That isn’t much, friend." George Bush - Thirty nephews. That is, grandsons; Heb. בני בנים benë bânim, sons, of sons. On the opulence and dignity implied in riding upon white asses, see Jdg 5:10, and Jdg 10:4.(Judges 12 Commentary) A R Fausset - And he had forty sons and thirty nephews [rather in modern English, grandsons; as ‘nephew’ means, in Spenser and Shakspere, and other old English writers], that rode on threescore and ten ass-colts [implying their dignity (ch. 5:10, 10:4; see notes and remarks]; and he judged Israel eight years. (Judges 12 Commentary) Judges 12:15 Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites. Pirathonite: 2Sa 23:30 in the hill country of the Amalekites: Jdg 3:13,27 5:14 Ge 14:7 Ex 17:8 1Sa 15:7 Judges 12 Resources ABDON'S DEATH Then Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died and was buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites George Bush - In the hill country of the Amalekites. For a probable account of the reason why this place was so called, see on Jdg 5:14. It does not appear certain that any thing remarkable took place in the civil state of the Israelites, during the time of these latter judges, though Lightfoot supposes, with some plausibility, that the forty years’ oppression of the Philistines commenced in the days of Elon the Zebulonite, and was gradually waxing more and more severe through the subsequent administrations. Previous, however, to the birth of Samson, it had not gained sufficient head to make it worthy of particular record in the inspired narrative. But it has been well remarked, that the happiest life of individuals, and the happiest state of society, is that which affords the fewest remarkable events. The people, in the main, enjoyed peace without, and freedom from discord and sedition, though still the leaven of their idolatrous propensities was secretly working and preparing them for new troubles in the end. As to these several judges, the principal fact mentioned in regard to each is, that he lived, acted as judge, and died. Death, the lot of man, at last claims his due of the great and the good, and whatever else we may hear of any man, we are sure to hear one thing—that he died: unless indeed our own departure hence anticipates his. (Judges 12 Commentary) A R Fausset - And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried in Pirathon [now Fer’ata, six miles west of Shechem (Nablous). Or Fer’aun (Palest. Explor. Quart. Stat.)], in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites [who had an early settlement in the neighbouring highlands, subsequently occupied by Ephraim (see Jdg 3:13, 5:14, 6:3)]. (Judges 12 Commentary) JUDGES 12 "SHIBBOLETH" F B Meyer Judges 12:1-6 Fratricidal strife. -- This is the worst of all. There is no war to be compared to civil war. Ephraim had contended thus with Gideon (Jdg. 8:1-note). Pride lay at the root of all. They could not endure that there should be honor and glory from which they were excluded. Men are very unreasonable; like these children of Ammon, they are reluctant to take up a difficult cause. Then they are annoyed not to share in the glory when it has passed out of its narrowness into a large place. This comes of calculating results, and considering what will make for name, or fame, or prosperity. No man can live happily or honorably who has one eye towards his own interests and the other towards God's. Oh, for the single eye, the united heart; the devoted purpose fixed on doing the will of God! When once the soul elects to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, he is indifferent to human praise or blame, success or failure, as the world may deem it, and turns away from the heated faces and words of critics and opponents, saying, "I put my life in my hands, and the Lord delivered" (Judges 12:3). The word "shibboleth" means river. Forty and two thousand is 2040. This scene had led to the use of shibboleth, to indicate the tests which Christians impose on each other, and by which they condemn those who differ from them in matters trivial as an h, while they ignore the great bonds of a common brotherhood (Ro 14:19-note). There are many among us who might pass as allies and brothers, but they cannot adjust to pronounce certain words which to us are as dear as life. They utter them, indeed, with their lips, but there is a certain dialect, a color, an indefinable defect which we can instantly detect, and which betrays the false professor. God help us to speak plainly! Judges 12:8-15 Some minor Judgeships succeed, which call for very slight notice, and yet in these quiet days the people were able to recoup themselves for the grievous rages made in their prosperity during the preceding years. We all of us need quiet, growing days in our lives, in which, although we may not be winning conspicuous victories or making remarkable progress, we are righting ourselves, striking our roots deep, and repairing the mistakes of the past. (F. B. Meyer. CHOICE NOTES ON JOSHUA THROUGH 2 KINGS)