name of the one was Peleg; for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. 20And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah; and 21Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah; and 22[1]Ebal, and Abimael, and Sheba; and 23Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan.
24 25 26Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah; Eber, Peleg, Reu; Serug, Nahor, Terah; 27Abram (the same is Abraham). The sons of 28Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael.
29These are their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, 30Mishma, and Dumah, Massa; Hadad, and Tema, 31Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael.
Peleg] see below on ver. 25.
20. Joktan begat Almodad] All the names of the sons of Joktan here given, so far as they have been identified, represent peoples situated in S. Arabia or on the W. coast of the Red Sea lying over against S. Arabia. The only familiar name is that of the unidentified Ophir, which possibly but not certainly may be the "El Dorado" to which Solomon sent his fleet for gold.
24—27. The Descent of Abraham from Shem.
These verses are compressed within the smallest limits from Gen. xi. 10—26. For another example of this extreme abbreviation compare vv. 1—4 (= Gen. v. 3—32).
25. Peleg] the name perhaps signifies "Division" (see ver. 19), and may refer to some great period of migration among the Semitic tribes.
28—31. The Descent of the Ishmaelite Tribes
from Abraham (= Gen. xxv. 12—16).
29. Nebaioth] Cp. Is. lx. 7.
Kedar] Is. xxi. 13—17.
30. Dumah] Is. xxi. 11.
Massa] Prov. xxxi. 1 (R.V. marg.).
Hadad] The name begins with the Heb. letter Ḥēth and therefore differs from the Hadad of ver. 46 and of ver. 50 and of 2 Chr. xvi. 2 in which the first letter is Hē, a softer guttural than Ḥeth.
Tema] Is. xxi. 14.
31. Jetur, Naphish] cp. v. 18—22.
- ↑ In Gen. x. 28, Obal.
