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עַבְדוֹן

𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤅𐤍

ʻAbdôwn

H5658 noun

SILEX Entry

Root עבד to serve, to work, to be a servant

Definition

Abdon: a proper noun referring either to a location or to several individuals in the Hebrew Bible. As a place name, it likely designates a settlement or town, possibly denoting 'place of service' or 'servile town.' As a personal name, it is borne by multiple Israelite figures, including a judge from the tribe of Ephraim, a Levitical musician, and others mentioned in genealogical records. The lexical meaning draws on the root connotation of service or labor.

Semantic Range

personal name, place name, servant-related; proper noun as judge, Levitical musician, head of a family, returnee from exile, Levitical city in Asher

Root / Etymology

From the root עבד (ʿ-b-d), meaning 'to serve' or 'to work.' עַבְדוֹן appears to be a noun form built from this root, possibly connoting 'servitude,' 'service,' or 'servant-related.' The use as a proper noun (personal or place name) may metaphorically extend from the root sense to signify dedication, service, or submission, but also may simply follow the pattern of theophoric or virtue names.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In biblical usage, עַבְדוֹן appears as both a personal name and a toponym. As a personal name, it is borne by four individuals: most notably by Abdon son of Hillel, a judge of Israel from Pirathon in Ephraim during the pre-monarchic period (Judges 12:13–15), a Levitical gatekeeper during David's reign (1 Chronicles 6:44; 9:17), a Benjaminite head in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 8:23; 9:36), and an individual in the list of returning exiles (Nehemiah 11:17). As a place name, Abdon is a Levitical city in Asher's territory (Joshua 21:30; 1 Chronicles 6:74). The root implies a link to service or servitude, but as a proper name, this likely highlights dedication or a wish for piety/service to deity rather than indicating enslavement. English translations often render the term simply as 'Abdon.' The disambiguation with similar-sounding names (e.g., עֶבְרֹן, 'Hebron'), mentioned in Strong’s, is mainly due to orthographic and root differences, not actual semantic overlap. Over time, there is no evidence for a significant shift in the meaning of the name, but some later sources (esp. post-exilic) may interpret the meaning more figuratively. The place identified as Abdon continues under this name into post-biblical times but without special prominence.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from עָבַד; servitude; Abdon, the name of a place in Palestine and of four Israelites; Abdon. Compare עֶבְרֹן.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עבד (ʿ-b-d) — to serve, to work, to be a servant

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4566 מַעְבָּד their deeds
H4567 מַעְבָד his deeds
H5647 עָבַד he served
H5648 עֲבַד you did
H5649 עֲבַד servant
H5650 עֶבֶד his servants
H5651 עֶבֶד Servant
H5652 עֲבָד and their works
H5653 עַבְדָּא Servant
H5656 עֲבֹדָה service-work
H5657 עֲבֻדָּה and servile labor
H5659 עַבְדוּת in our servitude
H5660 עַבְדִּי my servant
H5662 עֹבַדְיָה Servant of Yah
H5663 עֶבֶד מֶלֶךְ servant of
H5664 עֲבֵד נְגוֹ male servant
H5665 עֲבֵד נְגוֹא Servant of Nego
H5673 עֲבִידָה service of
H5744 עוֹבֵד and Oved
H6 אָבַד your servant
H912 בֵּדְיָה Servant of Yah
H917 בְּדָן Bedan

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5658-01 עַבְדּ֖וֹן avedon HNp Abdon Servant-one 7
H5658-02 וְ/עַבְדּ֥וֹן veavedon HC/Np and Abdon and Servant-one 1

Occurrences in Scripture

8 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5658-01 Joshua 21:30 עַבְדּ֖וֹן avedon HNp Abdon Servant-one
H5658-01 Judges 12:13 עַבְדּ֥וֹן avedon HNp Abdon Servant-one
H5658-01 Judges 12:15 עַבְדּ֥וֹן avedon HNp Abdon Servant-one
H5658-01 1 Chronicles 6:59 עַבְדּ֖וֹן avedon HNp Abdon Servant-one
H5658-02 1 Chronicles 8:23 וְ/עַבְדּ֥וֹן veavedon HC/Np and Abdon and Servant-one
H5658-01 1 Chronicles 8:30 עַבְדּ֑וֹן avedon HNp Abdon Servant-one
H5658-01 1 Chronicles 9:36 עַבְדּ֑וֹן avedon HNp Abdon Servant-one
H5658-01 2 Chronicles 34:20 עַבְדּ֨וֹן avedon HNp Abdon Servant-one
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