Click on Add to cart button below shopping cart.

Judges 12:11-12 (ANIV)
Elon
11 After him, Elon the Zebulunite led Israel for ten years. 12 Then Elon died, and was buried in Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.

DRAWING NOTES:

TIME OF DAY:
Unspecified in the Bible narrative. I have set the scene at late morning.

LIGHTING NOTES:
The sun (unseen & high in the sky) illuminates this scene, casting shadows below the figure & other objects.

CHARACTERS PRESENT:
Elon the Zebulunite.

RESEARCH/ADDITIONAL NOTES:
This scene is set in the chalk landscape of the valley of Aijalon (see below for notes regarding this place). Based on photographs of the region, the land appears to be littered with chalk boulders, all over the hillsides. The Valley of Aijalon is the northernmost of several valleys cutting across the hills of the Shephelah (lowlands) and was an important pass leading from the coastal plains up into the central mountainous region. Although the hill sides of the valley don’t appear to be very steep, perhaps the presence of all these chalk obstacles is why people tended to travel up to, or down from, the mountains through the pass of Beth Horon & Aijalon valley, rather than attempt to traverse the rocky terrain.

Elon the Zebulunite was a judge for ten years, around 1087 to 1077 B.C. The name Elon may mean “oak” or “terebinth”, both of which are names of trees. Because no detail is recorded relating to the judgement of Elon, it is supposed that his reign was in a time of relative calm & peace, without invasion of hostile forces against Israel.

The two birds on the left are Acrocephalus stentoreus (aka Clamorous Reed Wabler), a large song thrush-sized warbler at 7-7.8 inches (18–20 cm). The forehead is flattened, and the bill is strong and pointed; red inside the mouth. The adult has pale, whitish underparts and an unstreaked brown back. In colour it is very like the great reed warbler, but that species has richer coloured underparts. As with most warblers, the sexes are identical. Acrocephalus stentoreus is insectivorous, but will take other small prey items.
The song is loud and far-carrying, but less raucous than that of the great reed warbler. It is a slow, chattering kereet-kereet-kereet with typically acrocephaline whistles and mimicry added.

The red flowers are poppies, a flowering plant in the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae. Poppies can be over 3.3 feet (1 metre) tall with flowers up to 5.9 inches (15 cm) across. The petals are showy, may be of almost any colour and some have markings. The petals are crumpled in the bud and as blooming finishes, the petals often lie flat before falling away. Flowers of species (not cultivars) have 4 or 6 petals, many stamens forming a conspicuous whorl in the centre of the flower and an ovary of from 2 to many fused carpels.

Here’s the background landscape without the figure, but including the birds on the left.

Background of Judges 12 – Elon, Israel’s tenth judge (with birds)

Click on the colour bar below to view/buy this Background:
Judges 12 – Elon, Israel’s tenth judge (with birds)

Here’s the background landscape without the figure or the birds on the left.

Background of Judges 12 – Elon, Israel’s tenth judge (without birds)

Click on the colour bar below to view/buy this Background:
Judges 12 – Elon, Israel’s tenth judge (without birds)

Where is Aijalon in Israel?
Many Bible commentators propose that there are two towns named “Aijalon” in the Bible, the first is situated north west of Jerusalem in a valley of the same name, which leads down from the mountains to the sea. The site of the second Aijolon (from which Elon the Zebulunite originated), whose site has not been found.

I read an interesting article on the web published in Jewish Bible Quarterly entitled “Elon the Zebulunite of Aijalon – an historical theory – by Nathan C Moskowitz”. The author suggests that there is only one town named Aijalon; the seeming confusion coming from the ebb and flow of Israel’s tribal land boundaries, particularly those of the tribes of Zebulun and Dan.

If the author is correct, then Elon the Zebulunite was buried in the known location of Aijalon, a few miles north west of Jerusalem.

Apparently the name Aijalon translates as “place of deer”; “place of oaks”; “a strong place”.
The Ayalon Valley, also written Aijalon and Ajalon, is a valley in the lowland of the Shephelah in Israel. The Ayalon Valley has been an important route connecting the coastal plain and Jerusalem for generations. Due to its location, several battles were fought in its vicinity.

Joshua referred to the valley of Aijalon in connection with his defeat of the Amorites. Joshua asked for a miracle to prevent the sun from setting so that the Israelites could avenge themselves on the Amorites. Joshua said: “Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Aijalon” (Josh. 10:12).