Who was Pithon in the bible?

Pithon is named in genealogical lists in Chronicles as an Israelite, identified as one of the sons of Micah. The Hebrew name (Piythown) is explained in lexicon material as meaning “expansive.”

Pithon in Scripture

Pithon appears in two parallel genealogical contexts that trace a line through Ner, Kish, Saul, Jonathan, Merib Baal, and Micah before naming Micah’s sons.

In the first context, the list moves from Saul’s father to Saul and then to Saul’s son Jonathan, and from Jonathan to Merib Baal and then to Micah:

“Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.” (1 Chronicles 8:33, WEB)

“The son of Jonathan was Merib Baal. Merib Baal became the father of Micah.” (1 Chronicles 8:34, WEB)

After establishing Micah in this lineage, the text identifies Pithon among Micah’s sons:

“The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.” (1 Chronicles 8:35, WEB)

The genealogy then continues through Ahaz and beyond, extending the family line:

“Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah. Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri became the father of Moza.” (1 Chronicles 8:36, WEB)

“Moza became the father of Binea. Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.” (1 Chronicles 8:37, WEB)

“Azel had six sons, whose names are these: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.” (1 Chronicles 8:38, WEB)

A second passage presents a closely corresponding set of statements, again tracing the same line to Micah and then naming Micah’s sons, including Pithon:

“Ner became the father of Kish. Kish became the father of Saul. Saul became the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.” (1 Chronicles 9:39, WEB)

“The son of Jonathan was Merib Baal. Merib Baal became the father of Micah.” (1 Chronicles 9:40, WEB)

“The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz.” (1 Chronicles 9:41, WEB)

This second context also continues the genealogy through Ahaz and onward, again extending the family line:

“Ahaz became the father of Jarah. Jarah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri. Zimri became the father of Moza.” (1 Chronicles 9:42, WEB)

“Moza became the father of Binea; and Rephaiah his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.” (1 Chronicles 9:43, WEB)

“Azel had six sons, whose names are these: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. These were the sons of Azel.” (1 Chronicles 9:44, WEB)

Across these two passages, Pithon is consistently presented as a son of Micah and a member of the family line being recorded. The two lists agree on Pithon, Melech, and Ahaz, while one reads “Tarea” (1 Chronicles 8:35) and the other “Tahrea” (1 Chronicles 9:41) in the same position among Micah’s sons.

Name and Meaning

The name is written in Hebrew as פִּיתוֹן, transliterated Piythown and pronounced “pee-thone’.” Lexicon material connects it probably with the same root as Strong’s H6596 and explains the name as meaning “expansive,” noting an associated component word poth (פֹּת), “a hole,” with the sense of a hinge or the female pudenda.

Observation

In both genealogical records, Pithon is named briefly but clearly as one of Micah’s sons: “The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea [or Tahrea], and Ahaz.” (1 Chronicles 8:35; 9:41, WEB)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Pithon in the Bible?

Pithon is identified as an Israelite. He is listed as one of the sons of Micah in 1 Chronicles 8:35 and 1 Chronicles 9:41.

What does the name Pithon mean?

The name Pithon is associated with the meaning “expansive.”

How many times does Pithon appear in the Bible?

Pithon appears 2 times.

Where is Pithon mentioned in the Bible?

Pithon is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8:35 and 1 Chronicles 9:41.

Explore Further

If you found this page about Pithon interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.

Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).