List of minor biblical figures

December 28, 2013

The descendants of Ishmael (Gen 25:12-25:18)

“These are the descendants of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maid, bore to Abraham.  These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the first-born of Ishmael; and Kedar; Adbeel; Mibsam; Mishma; Dumah; Massa; Hadad; Tema; Jetur; Naphish; and Kedemah.  These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes.  This is the length of the life of Ishmael, one hundred thirty-seven years.  He breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.  They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria.  He settled down alongside of all his people.”

Ishmael lived to 137 years old.  Ishmael had 12 sons who became 12 princes much like Jacob will have 12 sons.  Ishmael is the hard luck outcast, but important because he was technically the first born of Abraham.  Nebaioth will be the father of the people who settle in Edom.  The descendents of Kedar settled in the Arabian Desert.  Adbeel settled somewhere southwest of the Dead Sea.  There are two people named Mibsam and Mishma in the bible.  There are a number of places named after Dumah, the most famous on the Syrian border.  The Massa descendents settled somewhere near the Babylonian border.  Hadad frequently turns up as a name of some princes in Edom. A town in Syria is named after Tema.  Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah seem to be associated with the Hagrites.   They mostly settled in the Arabian Desert.

December 28, 2013

The descendants of Nahor (Gen 22:20-22:24)

“Now after these things it was told Abraham, ‘Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor, namely Uz the first-born, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.’ Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight children Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.  Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.”

Nahor, the brother of Abram had a wife named Milcah, who was the daughter of their departed brother Haran.  Milcah was Nahor’s niece, the sister of Lot.  This was a very tight knit family.  We have an uncle marry his niece as well as have a concubine called Reumah.  Milcah had eight children with Nahor. Uz, the first born, is the same name as Uz the son of Shem and there is an area with the same name.  Buz is a name that will appear later. A couple of other biblical people have Kemuel as their name, while Aram was a common name and a territory.  The names Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, and Jidlaph only appear here and in no other biblical literature.  Bethuel was the father of Rebekah who will marry Isaac, once again keeping it in the family. This is only mention of Nahor’s concubine Reumah and two of her sons, Gaham and Tahash. The other two names appear later.