Zebul
Encyclopedia
Zebul ("habitation"), ruler of Shechem
under Abimelech
He informed his master of the intention of the people of Shechem to transfer their allegiance to the Hivite tribe of Hamor. This led to Abimelech's destroying the city, when he put its entire population to the sword, and sowed the ruins with salt.
Another Zebul is featured in the account of Pseudo-Philo
(written ca. 70 AD), whose history makes Kenaz
and "Zebul" the first two judges of Israel following the death Joshua, incidentally skipping over the judgeships of Othniel
, Ehud
and Shamgar
. Pseudo-Philo gives this Zebul 25 years as judge, and includes a detailed account of his career that is absent from the scripture.
Zebul is also the name of the sixth of the seven heaven
s in Jewish mysticism and it is also the name of Jephtha's brother, a bass role, in Handel's oratorio Jephtha
.
Shechem
Shechem was a Canaanite city mentioned in the Amarna letters, and is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as an Israelite city of the tribe of Manasseh and the first capital of the Kingdom of Israel...
under Abimelech
Abimelech
Abimelech was a common name of the Philistine kings.Abimelech was most prominently the name of a king of Gerar who is mentioned in two of the three wife-sister narratives in Genesis...
He informed his master of the intention of the people of Shechem to transfer their allegiance to the Hivite tribe of Hamor. This led to Abimelech's destroying the city, when he put its entire population to the sword, and sowed the ruins with salt.
Another Zebul is featured in the account of Pseudo-Philo
Pseudo-Philo
Pseudo-Philo is the name commonly used for a Jewish pseudepigraphical work in Latin, so called because it was transmitted along with Latin translations of the works of Philo of Alexandria but is very obviously not written by Philo...
(written ca. 70 AD), whose history makes Kenaz
Kenaz
Kenaz or Knaz - hunter - is the name of several persons in the Hebrew Bible. קְנָז "Hunter", Standard Hebrew Knaz, Tiberian Hebrew Qənaz / Qənāz...
and "Zebul" the first two judges of Israel following the death Joshua, incidentally skipping over the judgeships of Othniel
Othniel
Othniel is the first of the Biblical Judges.-Family:Othniel was related to Caleb, as his father Kenaz was either Caleb's brother or Caleb's father; both are plausible interpretations of Joshua 15:17. The Talmud argues that Othniel was Caleb's brother...
, Ehud
Ehud
Ehud ben‑Gera is described in the biblical Book of Judges as a judge who was sent by God to deliver the Israelites from Moabite domination.-Biblical narrative:...
and Shamgar
Shamgar
Shamgar, son of Anath is the name of one or possibly two individuals named in the Book of Judges. The name occurs twice; at the first mention Shamgar is identified as a Biblical Judge, who repelled Philistine incursions into Israelite regions, and slaughtered 600 of the invaders with an ox goad,...
. Pseudo-Philo gives this Zebul 25 years as judge, and includes a detailed account of his career that is absent from the scripture.
Zebul is also the name of the sixth of the seven heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
s in Jewish mysticism and it is also the name of Jephtha's brother, a bass role, in Handel's oratorio Jephtha
Jephtha
Jephthah is a character in the Old Testament's Book of Judges, serving as a judge over Israel for a period of six years . He lived in Gilead and was a member of the Tribe of Manasseh. His father's name was also Gilead...
.