Abel
The second son of Adam
and Eve. He was murdered by his older brother, Cain. Abel was a shepherd, and
Cain was a tiller of the ground. They both made an offering to God from the
fruits of their labor. Without giving any reason, God accepted Abel's offering,
of the "firstlings of
his flock and of their fat". But Cain's was rejected. In a fit of jealousy,
Cain killed his brother (right). For this sin, Cain was exiled. (4:2-8)
Abel Mizraim
The Canaanites'
name for Atad (or Goren Atad), a place close to the Jordan river. They named it
when they saw Jacob's family stop there for a period of seven day's mourning.
The family was on its way to bury Jacob's body in Canaan. (50:7-11)
Abida (also called Abidah)
A
son of Midian (25:1-4)
Abidah
See Abida
Abimael
A son of Joktan
(10:28)
Abimelech
The king of the
Philistine city of Gerar (located near the southern border of the land of
Canaan).
When Abraham and Sarah settled for a time
in Gerar, Abraham was afraid that people would want his wife Sarah, and would
kill him to possess her. So he passed off Sarah as his sister, rather than his
wife. Abimelech took a liking to Sarah. He kidnapped Sarah, and tried to have
sex with her. But God warned Abimelech in a dream that Sarah was Abraham's wife.
Abimelech confronted Abraham. Abraham confessed "She is my wife." So
Abimelech gave Sarah back to Abraham. (20:1-18) He later made peace with
Abraham. (21:27-32)
Later, Abimelech had a similar
incident with Abraham's son Isaac. Isaac and Rebekah settled for a time in Gerar.
Gerar was still ruled by the Philistines, and Abimelech was still their king.
Like Abraham before him, Isaac passed off Rebekah as his sister in order to stay
alive. Abimelech suspected that Rebekah was really Isaac's wife, and confronted
Isaac. Isaac confessed the truth. Abimelech warned the people of Gerar that
whomever touched Isaac or Rebekah would be put to death. (26:1-11)
Later, Isaac became a very powerful man in the city.
The Philistines were jealous of him. Abimelech warned Isaac to leave. (26:11-16)
So Isaac and his family went to the town of Beersheba, where Abraham and
Abimelech had made their covenant. There, Isaac and Abimelech made a peace
treaty of their own. (26:28-33)
It's possible that
Gerar may have had two kings with the same name, but this is never explicitly
stated. In any case, in both incidences, King Abimelech is accompanied by a
military commander named Phichol. (21:22,32; 26:26)
Abraham
Abraham has his own
page. To read about Abraham, click here.
Abram
See Abraham.
Accad (also called Akkad)
A city in Nimrod's
kingdom. It was located in the land of Shinar. (The land
of Shinar was located north of the Persian Gulf, between the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers, in what would today be Iraq, or northeastern Syria. It was
later called Chaldea, and later Babylon.) (10:9-10)
Achbor
The father of Baal-Hanan.
(36:38-39)
Adah - There are two:
1. One
of the wives of Lamech. (4:19) She bore him two sons: Jabal and Jubal. (4:20-21)
2. One of Esau's
wives. (26:34) She was a Canaanite woman, which displeased Esau's parents.
(26:35)
There is a discrepancy as to her name. In
26:34, she is named Basemath (or Bashemath). But later in 36:1-16, she is named Adah. In any
case, she is the daughter of Elon the Hittite (26:34; 36:2), and she bore Esau a
son named Eliphaz. (36:1-16)
Adam (The name comes from the Hebrew word "adam",
which means "man" or "human being" in English.)
The first man.
Genesis 1:1 to 2:4 describes the creation of man as male and female in the image
of God, on the sixth day. Man is told to multiply and subdue the earth.
Genesis
2:4 to 4:25 tells how man was formed from the dust of the earth and placed in
the Garden of Eden. Adam named the animals, but he couldn't find a fitting
companion. So God formed Eve from the man's rib.
Adam and Eve ate the fruit forbidden by God, and were expelled from the garden.
Outside the garden, hardship and pain were common.
After the expulsion, Adam and Eve had children. First Adam fathered two sons:
Cain and Abel. (4:1-2) Later, at age 130, Adam fathered a third son, Seth.
(4:25; 5:3) After this, Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters, but no more names
are given. (5:4)
Adam died at age 930. (5:5)
Adbeel
One of Ishmael's twelve
sons. He was the head of a tribe that bore his name. (25:12-16)
Addar (also called Ard)
A son
of Benjamin. He was one of Jacob's family that moved to Egypt. (46:5-8,21)
Admah
A city in the land of Canaan. (10:19)
It was one of the five cities that banded together and rebelled against
Chedolaomer in the battle in the valley of Siddim. Admah was on the losing side. (chapter 14)
Adullam
A city in the
southern part of the land of Canaan. The home of Hirah. (38:1-2)
Adullamite
A resident of the
city of Adullam, a city in the southern part of the land of Canaan. Hirah was an
Adullamite. (38:1-2)
Aholibama (also called Oholibama)-there are two:
1. One of Esau's wives. She was a Canaanite, the daughter of Anah.
(36:2,25) She bore Esau three sons: Jeush, Jaalan, and Korah. (36:5,14,18)
2. An chief in the Edom tribe. (36:40-43)
Ahuzzath
A friend of
Abimelech (the Philistine king of the city of Gerar). He accompanied Abimelech
to Beesheba to make a covenant with Isaac. (26:23-31)
Ai (also called Hai)
A city
in the eastern part of the land of Canaan. Abraham camped near there shortly
after arriving in Canaan. (12:8) He later revisited the place after staying in
Egypt. (13:3)
Aiah
See Ajah, below.
Ajah (also called Aiah)
The
first son of Zibeon. (36:20,24)
Akan
A child of Ezer. (36:27)
Akkad (also called Accad)
A city in Nimrod's
kingdom. It was located in the land of Shinar. (The land
of Shinar was located north of the Persian Gulf, between the Tigris and
Euphrates rivers, in what would today be Iraq, or northeastern Syria. It was
later called Chaldea, and later Babylon.) (10:9-10)
Allon Bacuth (also called Allon-bacuth)
The name given to an oak tree under which Deborah (Rebekah's nurse) was buried.
(35:8)
Almodad
A son of Joktan. (10:26)
Alvah (also called Alvan)
One
of the chiefs of Edom (36:40)
Alvan-there are two:
1. A variation
on Alvah (see above).
2. A son of Shobal (36:23)
Amalek
The son of Eliphaz and
his concubine Timna. (36:12) He was a chief of Edom. (36:16)
Amalekites
A tribe who
lived in the land of Canaan. They lived in the city of Enmishpat, until
the city was conquered by Chedorlaomer in the war in Canaan. (14:7)
Ammon
A tribe who are
descendants of Ben-Ammi, the son of the incest between Lot and his younger
daughter. (19:38)
Ammonite
A person of the
tribe of Ammon (see above).
Amorites
A subdivision of
the Canaanites. (10:16; 16:16,21)
Some Ammorites lived
in the city of Hazaron Tamar, until the city was conquered by Chedorlaomer in
the war in Canaan. (14:7)
Amraphel
The king of the land
of Shinar during the civil war in the land of Canaan. (14:1)
Anah - There are two:
1. The
daughter of Zibeon. (36:2,14,24-25) She was the mother of Aholimah, one of Esau's
wives. (36:2,14,18,25)
2. A son of Seir. This Anah
had a brother named Zibeon. (36:20) Anah was a Horite chief. (36:29)
Anamin
A son of Mizraim. (10:13)
Aner
One of three Amorite
chiefs who helped Abram's army defeat Chedorlaomer and rescue Lot. (The other
two were Aner's brothers, Eshcol and Mamre.) After their victory, Abraham
refused to take any of the spoil, but let the three chiefs have their share.
(chapter 14)
Aram - There are three:
1. A son
of Shem. He was the parent of Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. (10:22-23)
2. A child of Kemuel. (22:21)
3. A group of tribes, also called the Syrians. Members
of these tribes included Bethuel (25:20; 28:5) and Laban (25:20, 31:20,24).
Aramean
A member of the tribes of Aram, also called the
Syrians. Members of these tribes included Bethuel (25:20; 28:5) and Laban
(25:20, 31:20,24).
Aran
A child of Dishan. (36:28)
Ararat
A group of mountains
on which Noah's ark came to rest when the flood subsided. (8:4) (Archeologists have
allegedly found Noah's ark on Mt. Ararat in eastern Turkey, near the borders of
Russia and Iran. They have found a vessel there, and it has not been positively
identified. But some archeologists believe that it may be Noah's Ark.)
Arbah
A city. It was also called Hebron (35:27) and Kirjath Arba (or Kiriatharba).
(23:2)
The city was located near the plain of Mamre in the land of Canaan. (13:18; 23:2,19;
35:27)
Abraham built an altar to God there. (13:18)
Sarah died there. (23:2) Later, Isaac died there. (35:27-29)
Ard (also called Addar)
A son
of Benjamin. He was one of Jacob's family that moved to Egypt. (46:5-8,21)
Areli
A son of Gad. He was
one of Jacob's family who moved to Egypt. (46:5-8,16)
Arioch
The king of the
city of Ellasar during the civil war in the land of Canaan. (14:1)
Arkites
A subdivision of the
Canaanites. (10:17)
Ark
See Noah's ark.
Arod (also called Arodi)
A
son of Gad. He was one of Jacob's family who moved to Egypt. (46:5-8,16)
Arodi (also called Arod)
A
son of Gad. He was one of Jacob's family who moved to Egypt. (46:5-8,16)
Arpachshad (also called Arphaxad)
A son of Shem. (10:22; 11:10) He was born two years after the flood. (11:10) At
age 530, he became the father of Salah. Then he lived another 403 years, and had
other sons and daughters.
Arphaxad (also called Arpachshad)
A son of Shem. (10:22; 11:10) He was born two years after the flood. (11:10) At
age 530, he became the father of Salah. Then he lived another 403 years, and had
other sons and daughters.
Arvadites
A subdivision of
the Canaanites. (10:18)
Asenath
The daughter of
Potiphera, the priest of On. The Egyptian pharaoh gave her to Joseph as a wife.
(41:45,50; 46:20) She was the mother of Joseph's sons, Manasseh and Ephraim
(41:50-52; 46:20)
Ashbel
A son
of Benjamin. He was one of Jacob's family that moved to Egypt. (46:5-8,21)
Asher (The name comes from the Hebrew word "osher",
which means "happy" in English.)
A son of Jacob. The
second of his two sons by Zilpah, Leah's slave. His only full brother was Gad.
(30:10-13; 35:26) Asher had four sons-Imman, Ishuah, Ishui, and Beriah-plus one
daughter, Serah. (46:17)
Ashkenaz (also called Ashchenaz)
A son of Gomer. (10:3)
Ashchenaz (also called Ashkenaz)
A son of Gomer. (10:3)
Ashteroth Karnaim
A city
in the land of Canaan. It was lived in by a tribe called the Rephaims, until the
war in Canaan. Then Chedorlaomer's army conquered the city. (14:5)
Asshur
A son of Shem.
(10:22)
Assyria
A land located in the
Persian Gulf near the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. (2:14; 25:18)
Atad (also called Goren Atad)
A place near the Jordan river. After Jacob's death, his family brought his body
to Canaan for burial. On the way to Canaan, they stopped at Atad for a period of
seven days of mourning. (50:7-10) When the Canaanites saw them mourning, they
called the place "Abel Mizraim". (50:11)
Avith
The capital city of the
kingdom of Edom when Hadad was its king. (36:35)
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