Judges 12:14
New International Version
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel eight years.

New Living Translation
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He judged Israel for eight years.

English Standard Version
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys, and he judged Israel eight years.

Berean Standard Bible
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. And he judged Israel eight years.

King James Bible
And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

New King James Version
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy young donkeys. He judged Israel eight years.

New American Standard Bible
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys; and he judged Israel for eight years.

NASB 1995
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys; and he judged Israel eight years.

NASB 1977
And he had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys; and he judged Israel eight years.

Legacy Standard Bible
And he had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys; and he judged Israel eight years.

Amplified Bible
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys; and he judged Israel for eight years.

Christian Standard Bible
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. Abdon judged Israel eight years,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons, who rode on 70 donkeys. Abdon judged Israel eight years,

American Standard Version
And he had forty sons and thirty sons' sons, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

English Revised Version
And he had forty sons and thirty sons' sons, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons who rode on 70 donkeys. He judged Israel for eight years.

Good News Translation
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. Abdon led Israel for eight years,

International Standard Version
He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons who rode on 70 donkeys. He governed Israel for eight years.

Majority Standard Bible
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. And he judged Israel eight years.

NET Bible
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel for eight years.

New Heart English Bible
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkey colts. And he judged Israel eight years.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on seventy ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

World English Bible
He had forty sons and thirty sons’ sons who rode on seventy donkey colts. He judged Israel eight years.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and he has forty sons, and thirty grandsons, riding on seventy donkey-colts, and he judges Israel [for] eight years.

Young's Literal Translation
and he hath forty sons, and thirty grandsons, riding on seventy ass-colts, and he judgeth Israel eight years.

Smith's Literal Translation
And there will be to him forty sons and thirty sons' sons riding upon seventy young asses: and he will judge Israel eight years.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he had forty sons, and of them thirty grandsons, mounted upon seventy ass colts, and he judged Israel eight years:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he had forty sons, and from them thirty grandsons, all riding upon seventy young donkeys. And he judged Israel for eight years.

New American Bible
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He judged Israel for eight years.

New Revised Standard Version
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys; he judged Israel eight years.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy ass colts; and he judged Israel eight years.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he had forty sons, and thirty grandsons, and they were riders on seventy colts, and he judged Israel eight years
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he had forty sons and thirty sons' sons, that rode on threescore and ten ass colts; and he judged Israel eight years.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he had forty sons, and thirty grandsons, that rode upon seventy colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon
13After Elon, Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, judged Israel. 14He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. And he judged Israel eight years. 15Then Abdon son of Hillel, from Pirathon, died, and he was buried at Pirathon in Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.…

Cross References
Genesis 25:24-26
When her time came to give birth, there were indeed twins in her womb. / The first one came out red, covered with hair like a fur coat; so they named him Esau. / After this, his brother came out grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when the twins were born.

Genesis 30:20-24
“God has given me a good gift,” she said. “This time my husband will honor me, because I have borne him six sons.” And she named him Zebulun. / After that, Leah gave birth to a daughter and named her Dinah. / Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb, ...

Genesis 35:22-26
While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons: / The sons of Leah were Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. / The sons of Rachel were Joseph and Benjamin. ...

Genesis 46:8-27
Now these are the names of the sons of Israel (Jacob and his descendants) who went to Egypt: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn. / The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. / The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. ...

Exodus 1:1-5
These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: / Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; / Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; ...

Numbers 26:28-34
The descendants of Joseph included the clans of Manasseh and Ephraim. / These were the descendants of Manasseh: The Machirite clan from Machir, the father of Gilead, and the Gileadite clan from Gilead. / These were the descendants of Gilead: the Iezerite clan from Iezer, the Helekite clan from Helek, ...

Deuteronomy 33:13-17
Concerning Joseph he said: “May his land be blessed by the LORD with the precious dew from heaven above and the deep waters that lie beneath, / with the bountiful harvest from the sun and the abundant yield of the seasons, / with the best of the ancient mountains and the bounty of the everlasting hills, ...

1 Samuel 1:1-2
Now there was a man named Elkanah who was from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. He was the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. / He had two wives, one named Hannah and the other Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

1 Chronicles 7:14-19
The descendants of Manasseh: Asriel through his Aramean concubine. She also gave birth to Machir the father of Gilead. / Machir took a wife from among the Huppites and Shuppites. The name of his sister was Maacah. Another descendant was named Zelophehad, who had only daughters. / Machir’s wife Maacah gave birth to a son, and she named him Peresh. His brother was named Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rekem. ...

1 Chronicles 8:1-7
Benjamin was the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third, / Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. / The sons of Bela: Addar, Gera, Abihud, ...

1 Chronicles 12:30-31
From Ephraim: 20,800 mighty men of valor, famous among their own clans. / From the half-tribe of Manasseh: 18,000 designated by name to come and make David king.

1 Chronicles 27:20-22
over the Ephraimites was Hoshea son of Azaziah; over one of the half-tribes of Manasseh was Joel son of Pedaiah; / over the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead was Iddo son of Zechariah; over Benjamin was Jaasiel son of Abner; / and over Dan was Azarel son of Jeroham. These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel.

Matthew 1:2-3
Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. / Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.

Luke 3:23-34
Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli, / the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, / the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, ...

John 4:5-6
So He came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. / Since Jacob’s well was there, Jesus, weary from His journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.


Treasury of Scripture

And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on three score and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

nephews.

Judges 5:10
Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.

Judges 10:4
And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which are in the land of Gilead.

Jump to Previous
Ass Ass-Colts Asses Colts Donkey Donkeys Eight Israel Judge Judged Judgeth Led Nephews Riding Rode Seventy Ten Thirty Threescore Young
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Ass Ass-Colts Asses Colts Donkey Donkeys Eight Israel Judge Judged Judgeth Led Nephews Riding Rode Seventy Ten Thirty Threescore Young
Judges 12
1. The Ephraimites, quarrelling with Jephthah, are slain by the Gileadites
7. Jephthah dies
8. Ibzan, who had thirty sons, and thirty daughters
11. and Elon
13. and Abdon, who had forty sons, and thirty nephews, judge Israel














He had forty sons and thirty grandsons
This phrase highlights the significant family lineage of the judge mentioned in this verse. In the context of ancient Israel, having a large number of sons and grandsons was often seen as a sign of blessing and prosperity. The Hebrew culture placed great importance on family and lineage, as it was through descendants that one's name and legacy continued. The number forty is often symbolic in the Bible, representing a period of testing or completeness. This large family could indicate the judge's influence and the stability of his leadership.

who rode on seventy donkeys
Riding on donkeys in ancient Israel was a sign of wealth and status. Donkeys were valuable animals used for transportation and carrying goods. The fact that his sons and grandsons rode on seventy donkeys suggests that this judge's family was prosperous and held a position of prominence. In the biblical context, donkeys are often associated with peace, as opposed to horses, which were associated with war. This detail may imply that his rule was marked by peace and stability.

He judged Israel eight years
The role of a judge in Israel was not only to settle disputes but also to lead and deliver the people from oppression. The period of eight years, while relatively short compared to some other judges, indicates a time of leadership and governance. The number eight in the Bible can symbolize new beginnings or a new order. This judge's tenure, though brief, was part of God's ongoing plan for His people. It serves as a reminder that God raises leaders according to His purposes and timing, and each leader plays a role in the unfolding account of Israel's history.

(14) Thirty nephews.--The Hebrew has "sons of sons" (beni bhanim), and the word nephews in our version always means "grandsons" (nepoles), e.g., in Job 18:19, Isaiah 14:22, 1Timothy 5:4, as in old English generally; similarly nieces means "granddaughters" in Wiclif's Bible (Genesis 31:43, &c). "The Emperor Augustus . . . saw ere he died the nephew of his niece, that is to say, his progenie to the fourth degree of lineal descent" (Holland's Pliny, vii. 13; Bible Word Book).

That rode on threescore and ten ass colts.--Riding on asses' foals in trappings of state implies that they were all wealthy and distinguished persons (Judges 10:4)--perhaps, like the Turkish pennon on the horsetail, that they commanded a division (Ewald, 2:38, 39). Again the LXX. euphemise the ass-colts into the grand and poetic word p?lous. Josephus says that Abdon used to ride in state with his seventy sons and grandsons, "who were all very skilful in riding horses." . . .

Verse 14. - Nephews. Rather, grandsons. Hebrew, son's son. The number of his family, and their being all mounted on asses, are indications of his wealth and state (see above, Judges 8:30; Judges 10:4), and perhaps also of peaceful and prosperous times.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
He had
וַיְהִי־ (way·hî-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

forty
אַרְבָּעִ֣ים (’ar·bā·‘îm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 705: Forty

sons
בָּנִ֗ים (bā·nîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1121: A son

and thirty
וּשְׁלֹשִׁים֙ (ū·šə·lō·šîm)
Conjunctive waw | Number - common plural
Strong's 7970: Thirty, thirtieth

grandsons,
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

who rode
רֹכְבִ֖ים (rō·ḵə·ḇîm)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural
Strong's 7392: To ride, to place upon, to despatch

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

seventy
שִׁבְעִ֣ים (šiḇ·‘îm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 7657: Seventy (a cardinal number)

donkeys.
עֲיָרִ֑ם (‘ă·yā·rim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5895: A young ass, an ass-colt

And he judged
וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֥ט (way·yiš·pōṭ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8199: To judge, pronounce sentence, to vindicate, punish, to govern, to litigate

Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

eight
שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה (šə·mō·neh)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 8083: A cardinal number, eight, eighth

years.
שָׁנִֽים׃ (šā·nîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 8141: A year


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OT History: Judges 12:14 He had forty sons and thirty sons' (Jd Judg. Jdg)
Judges 12:13
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