Bible Strands
Genesis 25:2
and she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator records the birth of six sons to Abraham and his wife Keturah immediately after introducing her in Genesis 25:1. This genealogical note occurs within the patriarchal narrative detailing Abraham’s later domestic arrangements.
The words — The verb וַתֵּלֶד (vattēled, "and she bore") introduces the object marker אֶת (’et) followed by the proper names Zimran, Jokshan, and Medan. These Hebrew terms function as a straightforward genealogical list without descriptive modifiers in this verse.
The thread — The identical six names appear in 1 Chronicles 1:32 as the offspring of Abraham’s concubine Keturah. The name Midian recurs in Genesis 36:35 and Genesis 37:28 to identify a regional people group and commercial traders connected to the patriarchal era.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to track Abraham’s expanded lineage and recognize how later biblical references to Midian and Jokshan trace directly to this birth record. It demands attention to genealogical continuity rather than immediate narrative action.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
Cross-references
- 1 Chronicles 1:32 The sons born to Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan.
- Genesis 36:35 When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his place. And the name of his city was Avith.
- Genesis 37:28 So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.
- Genesis 37:36 Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard.
- Exodus 2:15 When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, where he sat down beside a well.
- Exodus 18:1 Now Moses’ father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, heard about all that God had done for Moses and His people Israel, and how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt.
- Numbers 22:4 So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde will devour everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.” Since Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time,
- Numbers 25:17 “Attack the Midianites and strike them dead.
- Numbers 31:2 “Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people.”
- Numbers 31:8 Among the slain were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.