Lesson plan
Pirathon
Pirathon was an ancient town mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Its exact whereabouts are not known. The Hebrew name agrees closely with that of modern Fara'ata (Israelite grid 165177), seven miles WSW of Shechem, leading to common identification of the two, though Conder and Kitchener claim that the earliest reference to the name "Fera'ata" dates to the 14th century. They also state that the Samaritan Chronicle (dated by them to the 12th century) refers to the town as Ophrah, though the Chronicle (ch. 41) identifies Fer'ata as west of Shechem. Its tribal affiliation with Ephraim in Judges 12:15 has been questioned on the grounds that Fara'ata lies north of the main course of Wadi Qana, which formed the southern border of Manasseh ( ). However, the Wadi Qana this far east has divided in to numerous tributaries. The village sits on a prominent hill, and the valley to its north and west drains into the Wadi Qana, so it might well have been reckoned to Ephraim. Brenton translates as Pharathon ( ) in his version of the Septuagint. The town is notable as the home of Hillel, father of Abdon, one of the judges of early Israel ( ), and because Benaiah, one of King David's captains (or "mighty ones"), originated there ( ).
Article summary
Pirathon was an ancient town mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. Its exact whereabouts are not known. The Hebrew name agrees closely with that of modern Fara'ata (Israelite grid 165177), seven miles WSW of Shechem, leading to common identification of the two, though Conder and Kitchener claim that the earliest reference to the name "Fera'ata" dates to the 14th century. They also state that the Samaritan Chronicle (dated by them to the 12th century) refers to the town as Ophrah, though the Chronicle (ch. 41) identifies Fer'ata as west of Shechem. Its tribal affiliation with Ephraim in Judges 12:15 has been questioned on the grounds that Fara'ata lies north of the main course of Wadi Qana, which formed the southern border of Manasseh ( ). However, the Wadi Qana this far east has divided in to numerous tributaries. The village sits on a prominent hill, and the valley to its north and west drains into the Wadi Qana, so it might well have been reckoned to Ephraim. Brenton translates as Pharathon ( ) in his version of the Septuagint. The town is notable as the home of Hillel, father of Abdon, one of the judges of early Israel ( ), and because Benaiah, one of King David's captains (or "mighty ones"), originated there ( ).
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.