Bible Strands
Judges 12:14
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. And he judged Israel eight years.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records the conclusion of Abdon son of Hillel’s judicial tenure, positioned immediately after his appointment in Judges 12:13 and before his death in Judges 12:15.
The words — רֹכְבִים (ro.khe.Vim) translates literally as “[who] rode,” specifying the mode of transport for Abdon’s descendants.
The thread — This structural detail of judges’ families riding donkeys recurs in Judges 10:4 and parallels the travel imagery of Judges 5:10.
Why it lands — The text simply lists Abdon’s forty sons, thirty grandsons, their seventy donkeys, and his eight-year term, providing a factual ledger that closes his account before his burial.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.
Cross-references
- Judges 5:10 You who ride white donkeys, who sit on saddle blankets, and you who travel the road, ponder
- Judges 10:4 He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys. And they had thirty towns in the land of Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth-jair.