Genesis 25:15 — Word Study
WLCחֲדַ֣ד וְתֵימָ֔א יְט֥וּר נָפִ֖ישׁ וָקֵֽדְמָה׃
BSAHadadChădad [a son of Ishmael] TemaTêymâʼ [a desert region] JeturYᵉṭûwr [enclosed, meaning his descendants were a distinct group] NaphishNâphîysh [refreshment, a son of Ishmael] and KedemahQêdᵉmâh [eastward, a son of Ishmael]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| חֲדַ֣ד | Hadad | Noun proper masculine |
| וְתֵימָ֔א | and Tema | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
| יְט֥וּר | Jetur | Noun proper masculine |
| נָפִ֖ישׁ | Naphish | Noun proper masculine |
| וָקֵֽדְמָה׃ | and Kedemah | Conjunction, noun proper masculine |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. |
| KJV | Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: |
| ASV | Hadad, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: |
| YLT | Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: |
| WEB | Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. |
| BBE | Hadad and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: |
Where they part company is in the spelling of חֲדַד and תֵימָא — see How Translations Differ.
The verse is a straightforward list of names, reflecting the genealogical structure typical of biblical texts.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Genesis 25:15
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Descendants of Ishmaelgenerated
Genesis 25:15 lists the names of Ishmael's sons, who are significant figures in the genealogies of the Hebrew Bible. This verse contributes to the understanding of the lineage and tribal divisions that arose from Ishmael, the son of Abraham. These names reflect the diverse groups that descended from Ishmael, each with their own identity and territory, as seen in the following verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 Chronicles 5:19 | They waged war against the Hagrites, as well as Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. |
| 2 | Job 2:11 | Now when Job’s three friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, each of them came from his home, and they met together to go and sympathize with Job and comfort him. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חֲדַד, cha.Dadgenerated
The name חֲדַד (Hadad) refers to a son of Ishmael, noted in genealogical accounts. It is a proper masculine noun, indicating a specific individual within the lineage of Ishmael. The name means 'mighty' and signifies a leader among the Ishmaelites.
Lexically, חֲדַד is associated with fierceness and leadership, highlighting Hadad's role among the Arab tribes during the time of the Patriarchs. His mention in Genesis 25:15 connects him to the broader narrative of Abraham's descendants.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which includes the names of Ishmael's sons.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of this verse is simple, consisting of a series of noun phrases connected by conjunctions. The main elements are the names of Ishmael's sons, which form a list: חֲדַד, וְתֵימָא, יְטוּר, נָפִישׁ, and וָקֵדְמָה.
The use of conjunctions indicates a straightforward enumeration, reflecting the genealogical nature of the text, which is typical in biblical lists.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates חֲדַד as Hadad and תֵימָא as Thaiman. This shows a direct correspondence with the Hebrew names, indicating that the translators aimed to preserve the original names of Ishmael's descendants.
The Greek rendering does not introduce any new interpretations but maintains the focus on the lineage of Ishmael.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Genesis 25:15 lists the sons of Ishmael: Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. Each name represents a distinct group of people descended from Ishmael, contributing to the understanding of the tribes that emerged from Abraham's family.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The sons of Ishmael listed here are Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah, each representing different tribes.
The name Hadad means 'mighty' and signifies a leader among the Ishmaelites.
These names reflect the lineage and tribal divisions that arose from Ishmael, indicating the diverse groups descended from him.
This verse connects to other genealogical records, such as in 1 Chronicles 5:19, which also mentions Ishmael's descendants.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about the importance of genealogy in the Bible from this verse?
- How do the names of Ishmael's sons reflect their roles or characteristics?
- In what ways do the descendants of Ishmael connect to the broader narrative of the Old Testament?
- What significance do these names hold for understanding the relationships between different tribes in the region?
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Genesis 25:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHadar and Tema,.... From the first of these the city Adra in Arabia Petraea, and from the other the city Themma in Arabia Deserta, both mentioned by Ptolemy (r), may be thought to have their names;
Read John Gill on Genesis 25 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: Tema , [Septuagint, Theman] - the ninth son of Ishmael, a town and district of the province of Nejd, in the northeast of Arabia, and in the great tribe of Beni Teman.
Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 25 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleTema gave his name to the city and country of Tema, or Teman, 6:19 . Jetur, the father of the Itureans, as may be gathered from .
Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 25 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsGenesis 25:15 Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:Ver. 15. Naphish, and Kedemah.] Twelve in all, princes of their tribes, as was promised. See, saith one, here, what God can do for a poor boy sent out with a bottle of water on his back. God "setteth the solitary in families"; "he raiseth the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set him among princes," &c. B. Babington.
Read John Trapp on Genesis 25 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 15. Hadar] This name should be read Hadad as in 1 Chronicles 1:30. This reading is supported by more than three hundred MSS., versions, and printed editions. See Clarke on Genesis 25:18. Tema] Supposed to be a place in Arabia Deserta, the same of which Job speaks, Job 6:19. Jetur] From whom came the Itureans, who occupied a small tract of country beyond Jordan, which was afterwards possessed by the half-tribe of Manasseh. Naphish] These are evidently the same people mentioned 1 Chronicles 5:19, who, with the Itureans and the people of Nadab, assisted the Hagarenes against the Israelites, but were overcome by the two tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Kedemah]…
Read AdamClarke on Genesis 25 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges15. Hadad] The name of a Syrian god; cf. Hadad (1 Kings 11:14) and Ben-hadad (1 Kings 20:1 ff.). It occurs again Genesis 36:35; Genesis 36:39. Tema] A famous locality—modern Teima—on the trade-route between Syria and Yemen = S. Arabia, mentioned in Isaiah 21:14; Job 6:19. Jetur] Mentioned along with Naphish in 1 Chronicles 5:19. Jetur has usually been identified with the people known as the Ituraeans, who dwelt in the anti-Lebanon district. In the Roman period they were particularly famous as archers.
Read Cambridge on Genesis 25 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible13-15. The names — We find scattered notices of these names in later books.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 25 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
Tyndale line
Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:
Hadad, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:
Hadad, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:
Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:
Hadar, and Tema, Ietur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
Strictly literal
Hadad and Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedmah.
Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:
Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:
Chadad, and Tema, Yetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
From the Latin
Hadar, and Thema, and Jethur, and Naphis, and Cedma.
Simplified
Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.
Hadad and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text lists חֲדַד, וְתֵימָא, יְטוּר, נָפִישׁ, and וָקֵדְמָה as the sons of Ishmael. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs in two words: it uses הדד for Hadad and תימה for Tema, but the overall names remain consistent.
חֲדַ֣ד וְתֵימָ֔א יְט֥וּר נָפִ֖ישׁ וָקֵֽדְמָה׃
2 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
הדד ותימה יטור נפישׁ וקדמה
2 words differ from the Masoretic Text: הדד (Hadad), תימה (Tema)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Genesis 25:15
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
חֲדַד (Chadad) refers to a son of Ishmael, mentioned in the context of the Arab tribes during the time of the Patriarchs. The name is associated with fierceness and is noted in Genesis 25:15. Chadad is also linked to other descendants of Ishmael, highlighting his familial connections.
חֲדַד n.pr.m. a son of Ishmael
base
H2301 חֲדַד a son of Ishmael
2301 Chadad khad-ad'
from 2300; fierce; Chadad, an Ishmaelite:--Hadad.
see HEBREW for 02300
חֲדַד (cha.dad) — Hadad.
A man of the Arabs living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.15;
son of: Ishmael (H3458);
brother of: Nebaioth (H5032), Kedar (H6938), Adbeel (H0110), Mibsam (H4017), Mishma (H4927), Dumah (H1746), Massa (H4854), Tema (H8485), Jetur (H3195), Naphish (H5305), Kedemah (H6929) and Mahalath (H4258)
Another spelling of cha.dar (חֲדַר "Hadad" H2301)
§ Hadad = "mighty"
a son of Ishmael
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
ha'-dad:
(1) (chadhadh, "sharpness"): One of the twelve sons of Ishmael (Ge 25:15, where the King James Version, following a mistake in Hebrew text, has "Hadar"; but "Hadad" is found in parallel passage 1Ch 1:30; the Revised Version (British and American) reads "Hadad" in both places).
(2) (hadhadh): A king of Edom, son of Bedad (Ge 36:35,36 parallel 1Ch 1:46,47), "who smote Midian in the field of Moab," and whose "city was Avith."
Hadad
Adod, brave(?), the name of a Syrian god. (1.) An Edomite king who defeated the Midianites (Gen. 36:35; 1 Chr. 1:46).
(2.) Another Edomite king (1 Chr. 1:50, 51), called also Hadar (Gen. 36:39; 1 Chr. 1:51).
(3.) One of “the king’s seed in Edom.” He fled into Egypt, where he married the sister of Pharaoh’s wife (1 Kings 11:14-22). He became one of Solomon’s adversaries.
Hadad, sharp, (a different name in Hebrew from the preceding), one of the sons of Ishmael (1 Chr. 1:30). Called also Hadar (
(mighty), originally the indigenous appellation of the sun among the Syrians, and thence transferred to the king as the highest of earthly authorities. The title appears to have been an official one, like Pharaoh. It is found occasionally in the altered form Hadar. (Genesis 25:15; 36:39) compared with 1Chr 1:30,50 Son of Ishmael. (Genesis 25:15; 1 Chronicles 1:30) A king of Edom who gained an important victory over the Midianites on the field of Moab. (Genesis 36:35; 1 Chronicles 1:46) Also a king of Edom, with Pau for his capital. (
1. An Idumean prince, who defeated the Midianites in the plains of Moab, Ge 36:35 1Ch 1:16.
2. A second prince of Edom, mentioned in 1Ch 1:51.
3. Another Edomite of the royal family, who fled to Egypt while young, upon David’s conquest of Edom, 2Sa 8:14; was well received, and married the queen’s sister. After the death of David and Joab, he returned to Edom and made an ineffectual effort to throw off the yoke of Solomon, 1Ki 11:14-22 2Ch 8:17.
תֵּימָא (Teyma') refers to Tema, a son of Ishmael, and the region he settled. It is noted as the ninth son of Ishmael, with a possible meaning of 'desert.' The entries indicate that Tema is associated with various brothers and mention its first appearance in Genesis 25:15.
תֵּימָא n.pr.terr. et gent. ‘son’ of Ishmael
base
H8485 תֵּימָא ‘son’ of Ishmael
8485 Teyma' tay-maw'
or Temao {tay-maw'}; probably of foreign derivation; Tema, a
son of Ishmael, and the region settled by him:--Tema.
תֵּימָא (te.ma) — Tema.
A man of the Arabs living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.15;
son of: Ishmael (H3458);
brother of: Nebaioth (H5032), Kedar (H6938), Adbeel (H0110), Mibsam (H4017), Mishma (H4927), Dumah (H1746), Massa (H4854), Hadad (H2301), Jetur (H3195), Naphish (H5305), Kedemah (H6929) and Mahalath (H4258)
§ Tema = "desert"
1) the 9th son of Ishmael
2) the land settled by Tema the son of Ishmael
תֵּימָא (te.ma) — Tema.
§ Tema = "desert"
the land settled by Tema the son of Ishmael
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
te'-ma (tema', "south country"; Thaiman): The name of a son of Ishmael (Ge 25:15; 1Ch 1:30), of the tribe descended from him (Jer 25:23), and of the place where they dwelt (Job 6:19; Isa 21:14). This last was a locality in Arabia which probably corresponds to the modern Teima' (or Tayma' (see Doughty, Arabia Deserta, I, 285)), an oasis which lies about 200 miles North of el-Medina, and some 40 miles South of Dumat el-Jandal (Dumah), now known as el-Jauf. It is on the ancient caravan road connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Aqaba; and doubtless the people took a share in the carrying trade (
Tema
South; desert, one of the sons of Ishmael, and father of a tribe so called (Gen. 25:15; 1 Chr. 1:30; Job 6:19; Isa. 21:14; Jer. 25:23) which settled at a place to which he gave his name, some 250 miles south-east of Edom, on the route between Damascus and Mecca, in the northern part of the Arabian peninsula, toward the Syrian desert; the modern Teyma’.
(a desert), the ninth son of Ishmael, (Genesis 25:15; 1 Chronicles 1:30) whence the tribe called after him, mentioned in (Job 6:19; Jeremiah 25:23) and also the land occupied by this tribe. (Isaiah 21:13,14) (B.C. after 1850.) The name is identified with Teyma , a small town on the confines of Syria.
יְטוּר (Ytuwr) refers to Jetur, a son of Ishmael, whose descendants are noted for their conflicts with Israel. The name is associated with the meaning 'enclosed' and is linked to various other sons of Ishmael. Jetur is first mentioned in Genesis 25:15 and is also referred to as 'Ituraea'.
יְטוּר n.pr.m. and gent. a ‘son’ of Ishmael
base
H3195 יְטוּר a ‘son’ of Ishmael
3195 Ytuwr yet-oor'
probably from the same as 2905; encircled (i.e. inclosed);
Jetur, a son of Ishmael:--Jetur.
see HEBREW for 02905
יְטוּר (ye.tur) — Jetur.
A man of the Arabs living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.15;
son of: Ishmael (H3458);
brother of: Nebaioth (H5032), Kedar (H6938), Adbeel (H0110), Mibsam (H4017), Mishma (H4927), Dumah (H1746), Massa (H4854), Hadad (H2301), Tema (H8485), Naphish (H5305), Kedemah (H6929) and Mahalath (H4258)
§ Jetur = "enclosed"
1) a son of Ishmael whose descendants warred with Israel east of the Jordan
1a) also called 'Ituraea'
יְטוּר (ye.tur) — Jetur.
§ Jetur = "enclosed"
a son of Ishmael whose descendants warred with Israel east of the Jordan
1a) also called 'Ituraea'
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Jetur
An enclosure, one of the twelve sons of Ishmael (Gen. 25:15).
(an enclosure). (Genesis 25:15; 1 Chronicles 1:31; 5:19) [ITURAEA]
order; succession; mountainous
נָפִישׁ (Naphiysh) refers to a son of Ishmael and is associated with the meaning of 'refreshment.' He is mentioned in Genesis 25:15 and is noted as one of the Arabian tribes descended from Ishmael, alongside several brothers. The entries consistently identify Naphish as a figure from the time of the Patriarchs.
נָפִישׁ n.pr.m. son of Ishmael
base
H5305 נָפִישׁ son of Ishmael
5305 Naphiysh naw-feesh'
from 5314; refreshed; Naphish, a son of Ishmael, and his
posterity:--Naphish.
see HEBREW for 05314
נָפִישׁ (na.phish) — Naphish.
A man of the Arabs living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.15;
son of: Ishmael (H3458);
brother of: Nebaioth (H5032), Kedar (H6938), Adbeel (H0110), Mibsam (H4017), Mishma (H4927), Dumah (H1746), Massa (H4854), Hadad (H2301), Tema (H8485), Jetur (H3195), Kedemah (H6929) and Mahalath (H4258)
§ Naphish or Nephish = "refreshment"
1) the next to last son of Ishmael
2) an Arabian tribe
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
na'-fish (naphish; Naphes, D, Napheth): A son of Ishmael (Ge 25:15; 1Ch 1:31). Naphish, along with other Hagrite clans, was overwhelmingly defeated by the Israelite tribes on the East of the Jordan (1Ch 5:19, the King James Version "Nephish"). Their descendants are mentioned among the Nethinim by the name "Nephisim," the King James Version and the Revised Version margin "Nephusim" (Ezr 2:50); "Nephushesim," the King James Version and the Revised Version margin "Nephishesim" (Ne 7:52); "Naphisi" (1 Esdras 5:31).
Naphish
Refresher, one of the sons of Ishmael (Gen. 25:15; 1 Chr. 1:31). He was the father of an Arab tribe.
(refreshment), the last but one of the sons of Ishmael. (Genesis 25:15; 1 Chronicles 1:31)
the soul; he that rests, refreshes himself, or respires
The Hebrew word קֵ֑דְמָה (*Qedmah*) refers to Kedemah, a son of Ishmael. It is derived from the root meaning 'precedence' and is noted as the youngest son of Ishmael, mentioned in Genesis 25:15. He is also identified as Nodab in 1 Chronicles 5:19 and is related to several other sons of Ishmael.
קֵ֑דְמָה n.pr.m. son of Ishmael
base
H6929 קֵ֑דְמָה son of Ishmael
6929 Qedmah kayd'-maw
from 6923; precedence; Kedemah, a son of Ishmael:--Kedemah.
see HEBREW for 06923
קֵ֑דְמָה (qe.de.mah) — Kedemah.
A man of the Arabs living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.15;
son of: Ishmael (H3458);
brother of: Nebaioth (H5032), Kedar (H6938), Adbeel (H0110), Mibsam (H4017), Mishma (H4927), Dumah (H1746), Massa (H4854), Hadad (H2301), Tema (H8485), Jetur (H3195), Naphish (H5305) and Mahalath (H4258); also called Nodab at 1Ch.5.19;
Also named: no.dav (נוֹדָ֑ב "Nodab" H5114)
§ Kedemah = "original"
the youngest son of Ishmael
Conj | N-proper — Conjunction · noun proper masculineHC/Npm
Kedemah
Eastward, the last-named of the sons of Ishmael (Gen. 25:15).
(eastward), the youngest of the sons of Ishmael. (Genesis 25:15; 1 Chronicles 1:31)
oriental; ancient; first