Obal עוֹבָל
Son of Joktan
Who is Obal in the Bible?
Obal was one of the sons of Joktan, a descendant of Shem and great-great-grandson of Noah, mentioned in Genesis 10:28 and 1 Chronicles 1:22. He appears in the Table of Nations, which records the descendants of Noah's sons after the flood and their dispersion across the earth. Obal and his brothers were ancestors of various Arabian tribes, though the exact locations and identities of these tribes remain uncertain, with scholars generally believing they settled in the southern regions of the Arabian Peninsula. His inclusion in the genealogical record underscores the biblical account of how humanity repopulated the world after the flood and established distinct ethnic and tribal groups.
Biography
Obal was one of the sons of Joktan, a descendant of Shem, the son of Noah (Gen.10.28; 1Ch.1.22). He is mentioned in the Table of Nations, which lists the descendants of Noah's sons after the flood. Obal and his brothers were the ancestors of various Arabian tribes. The exact location and identity of the tribes descended from Obal are uncertain, but they likely settled in the southern regions of the Arabian Peninsula.
Family
Parents
Siblings
- Almodad Early PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of Joktan, descendant of ShemView full profile →
- Sheleph Early PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of Joktan, descendant of ShemView full profile →
- Hazarmaveth Early PatriarchSon of JoktanA son of Joktan, descendant of Shem.View full profile →
- Jerah Early PatriarchSon of JoktanA son of Joktan, descendant of Shem.View full profile →
- Hadoram Early PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of Joktan, a descendant of Shem.View full profile →
- Uzal Early PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of Joktan, descendant of ShemView full profile →
- Diklah Early PatriarchSon of JoktanDescendant of Shem through JoktanView full profile →
- Abimael Early PatriarchSon of JoktanDescendant of Shem, son of JoktanView full profile →
- Sheba Tribe of GadSon of AbihailGadite leader during the reign of JothamView full profile →
- Ophir Early PatriarchSon of JoktanSon of JoktanView full profile →
- Havilah Early PatriarchSon of JoktanA son of Joktan, descendant of Shem.View full profile →
- Jobab Tribe of BenjaminSaul's familyA son of Elpaal, descendant of BenjaminView full profile →
In Scripture
2 biblical books ; 1 with study contentGenesis 1 verse
- Genesis 10:28
"Obal, Abimael, Sheba,"
Study Genesis →
1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 1:22
"Obal, Abimael, Sheba,"
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | עוֹבָל |
| Spelled | Hebrew | עֵיבָל |