Lexical Summary Letushim: Letushim Original Word: לְטוּשִׁם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Letushim Masculine plural of passive participle of latash; hammered (i.e. Oppressed) ones; Letushim, an Arabian tribe -- Letushim. see HEBREW latash NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom latash Definition "hammered ones," desc. of Abraham and Keturah NASB Translation Letushim (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs לְטוּשִׁם proper name, of a people Genesis 25:3, descendants of Abraham and Keturah; ᵐ5 Λατουσιειμ. [לֹיָה], לֹיוֺת see below III. לוה. Topical Lexicon Name and Meaning Letushim designates a clan descended from Dedan, grandson of Abraham through Keturah (Genesis 25:3). The term is plural, indicating a tribal group rather than an individual. Biblical Occurrence Genesis 25:3 is the single explicit mention: “Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. The descendants of Dedan were the Ashurites, the Letushites, and the Leummites”. Together with the Ashurites and Leummites, the Letushites form one of three sub-tribes that sprang from Dedan. Genealogical Context Abraham → Keturah → Jokshan → Dedan → Letushim. This placement highlights three truths: 1. God’s promise to make Abraham “a father of many nations” (Genesis 17:4) extended beyond Isaac and Jacob. Geographical and Cultural Setting Dedan later became associated with the north-western Arabian oasis of al-ʿUla, an important stop on ancient caravan routes linking southern Arabia with the Levant (compare Isaiah 21:13; Ezekiel 27:15). The Letushites, as a branch of Dedan, likely shared this desert-dwelling, merchant culture—shepherding flocks, engaging in trade, and interacting with peoples such as Midian and Sheba. Their obscurity in later texts suggests eventual absorption into larger Arabian confederations or loss of distinct identity. Historical Relevance 1. Trade Networks: The sons of Keturah occupied strategic territory for incense, spice, and precious-stone caravans. The Letushites thus illustrate how Abraham’s offspring influenced regional commerce long before Israel emerged as a nation. Theological and Ministry Insights • God’s Universal Concern: Though the Letushites never feature prominently, their preservation in Scripture affirms that no people are beyond God’s notice. Acts 17:26 echoes this truth: “From one man He made every nation of men to inhabit the whole earth.” Lessons for Today 1. God records what humans forget; therefore, ministry should value the overlooked. Summary The Letushim were an Arabian tribe springing from Abraham through Dedan, significant not for great exploits but for what their single mention reveals: the scope of God’s faithfulness, the historic reliability of Scripture, and the inclusive horizon of the Abrahamic blessing that ultimately culminates in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations וּלְטוּשִׁ֖ים ולטושים ū·lə·ṭū·šîm uletuShim ūləṭūšîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 25:3 HEB: הָי֛וּ אַשּׁוּרִ֥ם וּלְטוּשִׁ֖ים וּלְאֻמִּֽים׃ NAS: were Asshurim and Letushim and Leummim. KJV: were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. INT: become were Asshurim and Letushim and Leummim 1 Occurrence |
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