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

JUDGES 12:14KJV
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Judges 12:14 (KJV)

What does Judges 12:14 mean?

Judges 12:14 describes how Abdon, a judge of Israel, had forty sons and thirty nephews who rode on seventy young donkeys, and that he served as judge over Israel for eight years. The verse highlights the size and status of Abdon’s family and briefly notes the length of his leadership.

This verse is part of a summary about Abdon’s time as judge, found in the book of Judges. The mention of many sons and nephews riding young donkeys suggests that Abdon’s family was wealthy and influential, since donkeys were valuable animals in that time. The verse does not include a speech or direct action, but instead records facts about Abdon’s family and his period of judging Israel.

The Hebrew behind Judges 12:14

  • The word for “sons” (בָּנִים, banim) and “nephews” (also בָּנִים, banim) is the same in Hebrew, meaning “sons” or “descendants.” Here, “nephews” likely refers to grandsons or male relatives, not nephews in the modern sense.
  • The word for “colts” (עֲיָרִים, ayarim) means young donkeys, which were a sign of status and wealth in ancient Israel. Having many family members riding them shows Abdon’s prominence.
  • The word for “judged” (שָׁפַט, shafat) means to govern or lead as a judge, not just to make legal decisions but to rule over the people.
  • The numbers “forty” (אַרְבָּעִים, arba’im), “thirty” (שְׁלֹשִׁים, sheloshim), and “ten” (עֶשֶׂר, eser) are used to emphasize the large size of Abdon’s family and the seventy (שִׁבְעִים, shiv’im) donkeys, underlining his wealth.

Why Judges 12:14 matters

  • This verse helps clarify that the term translated “nephews” in the KJV likely means grandsons or other male descendants, not nephews as we use the word today.
  • The detail about riding seventy young donkeys paints a picture of Abdon’s family as powerful and prosperous, which was significant in that culture.
  • The verse connects to a pattern in Judges where the size and wealth of a judge’s family is noted, hinting at the social and political influence they held during their leadership.