Lexical Summary Yerach: Jerah Original Word: יֶרַח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Jerah The same as yerach; Jerach, an Arabian patriarch -- Jerah. see HEBREW yerach NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as yareach Definition a son of Joktan, also his desc. NASB Translation Jerah (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. [יֶ֫רַח] proper name, masculine 'son' of Joktan, only יָ֑רַךְ Genesis 10:26 (ᵐ5 Ιαραδ, ᵐ5L Ιεραχ) = 1 Chronicles 1:20 (ᵐ5L Ιαρε). Topical Lexicon Name and meaning Jerah ( יֶרַח, Strong’s Hebrew 3392) is generally understood to derive from the common Hebrew term for “moon,” suggesting ideas of reflected light, ordered cycles, and measured time. In the Ancient Near Eastern world celestial bodies were often used as markers of both geography and worship; the biblical text records the name without endorsing any lunar cult, simply noting it as one of many clan designations in the post-Flood dispersion. Occurrences in Scripture • Genesis 10:26 – “Joktan was the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah…” Historical and geographic context The sons of Joktan (Genesis 10:26–30) are linked by their order and by later extra-biblical sources to the Arabian Peninsula, especially its southern reaches (modern Yemen and Oman). The tribal name Jerah may correspond to an ancient settlement or territory along the coastal trade routes that connected the spice-producing regions of Arabia with Mesopotamia. Because Scripture gives no additional narrative about Jerah, the identification rests on patterns: • Joktan’s sons form a southward arc from Hazarmaveth (“Hadramaut”) toward Ophir, Sheba, and Havilah. Genealogical significance Jerah stands in the non-Messianic branch of Shem’s family tree (the Messianic line follows through Arphaxad, Genesis 11:10-26). Even so, the inclusion of Joktan’s thirteen sons underlines three major biblical claims: 1. Humanity shares one ancestry after the Flood (Genesis 10:32). Theological themes • Divine sovereignty over nations: The brief mention of Jerah shows that no people group is accidental. The Creator records names that vanish from human memory but remain preserved in His word. Intertextual connections While Jerah himself reappears only once, the Table of Nations sets a template for later lists: • Numbers 26 and Joshua 13–21 catalog Israel’s clans. The consistency of style signals that, for biblical writers, salvation history unfolds in real time among identifiable peoples. Ministry implications 1. Missional vision: Christians serving in the Arabian Peninsula can open conversations by tracing shared ancestry back to Joktan and his son Jerah, demonstrating respect for local heritage while introducing the biblical narrative. Historical reception Jewish commentators such as Rashi associate Jerah with lunar cycles, noting the agricultural utility of lunar timekeeping in desert climates. Early Christian writers, while not dwelling on the name, appealed to Genesis 10 to affirm a single human race, countering ethnic pride within the Roman world. Medieval cartographers often labeled South Arabian mountains with derivatives of Jerah, revealing an enduring memory of the clan. Application for believers • Praise: Worship that celebrates God’s global reach can include readings from Genesis 10, reminding congregations that redemption touches every “tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9). In sum, Jerah’s quiet cameo in Scripture testifies to the meticulous breadth of God’s historical record, the inclusiveness of His redemptive purpose, and the calling of every generation to bear His light among the nations. Forms and Transliterations יָֽרַח׃ ירח׃ yā·raḥ Yarach yāraḥLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 10:26 HEB: חֲצַרְמָ֖וֶת וְאֶת־ יָֽרַח׃ NAS: and Sheleph and Hazarmaveth and Jerah KJV: and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, INT: and Sheleph and Hazarmaveth and Jerah 1 Chronicles 1:20 2 Occurrences |
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