Jerahיֶ֫רַח
A son of Joktan, descendant of Shem.
Who is Jerah in the Bible?
Jerah was one of the sons of Joktan, a descendant of Shem, as recorded in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10:26 and 1 Chronicles 1:20. He belonged to the lineage established after the flood, tracing his ancestry through Noah's son Shem. While the Bible provides no further biographical details about Jerah, scholars believe that Joktan's descendants, including Jerah, settled in the southern Arabian Peninsula and established ancient peoples of that region. Jerah's mention in the genealogical records underscores the biblical framework for understanding the distribution of nations and peoples in the ancient world following the flood.
Biography
Jerah is mentioned in the Table of Nations in Genesis and 1 Chronicles as one of the sons of Joktan, a descendant of Shem, the son of Noah. Joktan's descendants are believed to have settled in the southern Arabian Peninsula, suggesting that Jerah and his brothers may have been associated with the ancient peoples of that region. However, no further details are provided about Jerah's life or the specific territory he and his descendants inhabited.
Family
Parents
Siblings
- AlmodadEarly PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of Joktan, descendant of ShemView full profile →
- ShelephEarly PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of Joktan, descendant of ShemView full profile →
- HazarmavethEarly PatriarchSon of JoktanA son of Joktan, descendant of Shem.View full profile →
- HadoramEarly PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of Joktan, a descendant of Shem.View full profile →
- UzalEarly PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of Joktan, descendant of ShemView full profile →
- DiklahEarly PatriarchSon of JoktanDescendant of Shem through JoktanView full profile →
- ObalEarly PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of JoktanView full profile →
- AbimaelEarly PatriarchSon of JoktanDescendant of Shem, son of JoktanView full profile →
- ShebaTribe of GadSon of AbihailGadite leader during the reign of JothamView full profile →
- OphirEarly PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of JoktanView full profile →
- HavilahEarly PatriarchSon of JoktanA son of Joktan, descendant of Shem.View full profile →
- JobabTribe of BenjaminSaul's familyA son of Elpaal, descendant of BenjaminView full profile →
In Scripture
2 biblical books; 1 with study contentGenesis1 verse
- Genesis 10:26
"And Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,"
Study Genesis →
1 Chronicles1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 1:20
"And Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah,"
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | יֶ֫רַח |
Jerah
z are places named by the Arabic geographers. The fact that the word in Hebrew means "moon" has led to the following suggestions: the Banu Hilal ("sons of the new moon") in the North of Yemen; Ghubb el-Qamar ("the bay of the moon"), Jebel el-Qamar ("the mountains of the moon") in Eastern Chadramant. But in Southern Arabia worship of the moon has caused the word to bulk largely in place-names.
je-ra'-me-el, je-ra'-me-el-its (yerachme'el, "may God have compassion!"):