Dedan
Who he was
Dedan is mentioned in the genealogies of Genesis 25 and 1Chronicles 1 as a descendant of Abraham through his concubine Keturah. He is listed as a son of Jokshan and a grandson of Abraham (Genesis 25:3; 1 Chronicles 1:32).
After Sarah's death, Abraham took Keturah as his concubine, and she bore him several children, including Jokshan. Jokshan's sons, Sheba and Dedan, are mentioned alongside other descendants of Abraham through Keturah.
The genealogies in these chapters demonstrate God's fulfillment of His promise to make Abraham a father of many nations (Genesis 17:4–6). The descendants of Abraham through Keturah, including Dedan, are distinct from the Israelites, who descended from Abraham through Isaac and Israel (or 'Jacob').
Apart from these genealogical references, no further details are provided about Dedan or his specific role in the biblical narrative. His mention serves to highlight the breadth of Abraham's descendants and the various nations that traced their lineage back to the patriarch.
Family
Every mention
Genesis 1 mention
1 Chronicles 1 mention
What the dictionary says
Low ground.
Sources
- STEPBible TIPNR · Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References · CC BY 4.0 · github.com/STEPBible/STEPBible-Data
- Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary (1869) · Public domain