Lexical Summary Pirathoni: Pirathonite Original Word: פִרְעָתוֹנִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Pirathonite Or Pirathoniy {pir-aw-tho-nee'}; patrial from Pir'athown; a Pirathonite or inhabitant of Pirathon -- Pirathonite. see HEBREW Pir'athown NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom Pirathon Definition inhab. of Pirathon NASB Translation Pirathonite (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs מִּרְעָתוֺנִי adjective, of a people of foregoing, Judges 12:13,15; 1 Chronicles 27:14 compare מִּרְעָחֹנִי 2 Samuel 23:30 = 1 Chronicles 11:31. II. פרע (√ of following; compare Syriac Topical Lexicon Geographical Setting Pirathon lay in the hill country allotted to Ephraim, west of the Jordan and not far from the wadis feeding into the Valley of Gaash. Judges 12:15 notes that the site was “in the hill country of the Amalekites,” a phrase that preserves the memory of earlier conflicts in the region. Its elevation provided natural defenses and fertile terraces, explaining both the prosperity of Abdon’s family and the hardy warriors it produced in David’s era. Scriptural Occurrences 1. Judges 12:13 Across these five verses the term designates men whose identity and reputation were inseparable from their hometown. Notable Figures from Pirathon Abdon son of Hillel “After him Abdon son of Hillel, the Pirathonite, judged Israel” (Judges 12:13). His eight-year judgeship followed the turbulent leadership of Jephthah and Ibzan. Abdon’s seventy donkey-mounted sons and grandsons (Judges 12:14) suggest administrative reach and covenantal blessing, echoing Deuteronomy’s promise of fruitfulness to obedience. His burial “in Pirathon, in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites” (Judges 12:15) anchors the judge’s legacy to his ancestral soil and underscores Israel’s reclaiming of territory once dominated by Amalek. Benaiah the Pirathonite Appearing three times (2 Samuel 23:30; 1 Chronicles 11:31; 1 Chronicles 27:14), this Benaiah must be distinguished from the son of Jehoiada. As one of “the Thirty,” he shared in David’s elite corps. The Chronicler adds that he commanded the tenth monthly division of twenty-four thousand soldiers, revealing an Ephraimite contribution to the united monarchy’s standing army. His courage under David anticipates the Messiah-King who will gather loyal servants from every tribe. Historical Significance Pirathon’s representatives bridge two formative periods—Judges and the monarchy. Abdon’s rule demonstrates how God raised local leaders to preserve national covenant fidelity even when “there was no king in Israel.” Generations later, Benaiah’s service under David shows the maturation of that leadership into a centralized, covenant-based kingdom. Thus, the Pirathonites exemplify continuity in God’s redemptive plan: what began as tribal deliverance culminated in a united throne preparing the way for the eternal King. Ministry Themes and Theological Implications 1. Covenant Faithfulness in the Provinces Pirathon, though a small town, produced servants fit for national prominence. God often selects seemingly obscure locales to showcase His sovereignty (cf. Micah 5:2). Abdon’s large family riding seventy donkeys pictures generational stewardship. Material prosperity, when tied to covenant fidelity, serves corporate well-being rather than private indulgence. The warriors of Pirathon remind believers that decisive battles are sometimes waged by the “few” whose hearts are fully given to the Lord (2 Chronicles 16:9). Benaiah’s submission to David anticipates Christ’s call: greatness is measured by loyal service under God-appointed authority (Mark 10:42-45). Key Lessons for Today • Geographic or social obscurity does not limit usefulness in God’s purposes. Forms and Transliterations הַפִּרְעָתֹנִֽי׃ הַפִּרְעָתוֹנִ֑י הַפִּרְעָתוֹנִ֖י הַפִּרְעָתוֹנִֽי׃ הפרעתוני הפרעתוני׃ הפרעתני׃ פִּרְעָ֣תֹנִ֔י פרעתני hap·pir·‘ā·ṯō·nî hap·pir·‘ā·ṯō·w·nî happir‘āṯōnî happir‘āṯōwnî happiratoNi pir‘āṯōnî pir·‘ā·ṯō·nî pirAtoNiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Judges 12:13 HEB: בֶּן־ הִלֵּ֖ל הַפִּרְעָתוֹנִֽי׃ NAS: of Hillel the Pirathonite judged KJV: of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged INT: the son of Hillel the Pirathonite Judges 12:15 2 Samuel 23:30 1 Chronicles 11:31 1 Chronicles 27:14 5 Occurrences |
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sprout; Assyrian pir'u, sprout, progeny, pirtu, hair of head; late Arabic 
sprout (Schroeter in MeiArchiv. i. 176 Dozyii.256), 
long hair of woman; — on this and following √ see SchulthHom. Wurx. 56 NöZMG iiv (1900), 154).