Lexical Summary Tema: Tema Original Word: תֵּימָא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Tema Or Temao {tay-maw'}; probably of foreign derivation; Tema, a son of Ishmael, and the region settled by him -- Tema. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a son of Ishmael, also his desc. and the region settled by them NASB Translation Tema (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs תֵּימָא proper name, of a territory or people (Old Aramaic תימא Lzb385; in As Têma DlPa 301f. SchrKGF 261 ff;= south country, √ ימא (compare תֵּימָן, √ ימן) according to NöEncy.Bib ISHMAEL); — ׳ישְׁבֵי אֶרֶץ ת Isaiah 21:14, people Jeremiah 25:23; ׳ת 'son' of Ishmael Genesis 25:5 "" 1 Chronicles 1:30; אָרְחוֺת תֵּמָא (l. ׳אֹרְ) Job 6:19; Θαιμαν. Modern Teyma, northwest Arabia, DoughtyArab.Des.i, pass., especially 284-299 WilsonHast. DB TEMA, and on inscription found there EutNab. Inschr. 35 CISii.No.113.114 NöSBAK, 1884, 813f. HalRÉJ xii, 111 ff. Cooke195ff. I, II. תֵּימָן, תֵּימָנִי, תֵּימְנִי see ימן. [תִּימָרָה] see תמר. Topical Lexicon Genealogical Roots Tema appears first in the Table of Nations as a sixth-generation descendant of Abraham. “Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah” are listed among the twelve sons of Ishmael (Genesis 25:15; repeated in 1 Chronicles 1:30). Within the Ishmaelite lineage Tema represents both a person and the tribal group that sprang from him. This connection to Abraham explains why, centuries later, the prophets could address the Temanites as kin and hold them accountable to the ethical standards God revealed. Geographical Setting and Trade Importance The oasis of Tema occupied a strategic position on the north-central Arabian plateau, roughly midway between Damascus and Medina. Bordered by the great Nafud desert to the east and uplifted limestone ridges to the west, Tema controlled wells that fed the ancient caravan artery known as “the Way of the Wilderness.” Records from Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III and Nabonidus of Babylon confirm Tema’s prominence. Traders from Sheba, Dedan, and Kedar moved spices, frankincense, myrrh, and textiles through its markets. This commercial identity explains the image of Tema in Job 6:19—“The caravans of Tema look for water; the travelers of Sheba hope for it”. There, the oasis is emblematic of anticipated relief that disappoints, reinforcing Job’s lament over unreliable friends. Biblical Occurrences • Genesis 25:15 and 1 Chronicles 1:30 anchor Tema in Ishmael’s genealogy. Prophetic and Eschatological Context The prophets employ Tema to show both mercy and judgment. Isaiah frames Tema as a haven of grace; Jeremiah warns of unavoidable reckoning. Together they reveal two poles of covenant reality: refuge for the repentant and retribution for the rebellious. The inclusion of Tema among Arabian tribes in the eschatological oracles anticipates the fuller Ingathering of the Gentiles announced in later revelation (Acts 2:11; Galatians 3:14). Spiritual Themes and Ministry Reflections 1. Hospitality: Tema’s well-keepers stand as models of practical compassion (Isaiah 21:14). Contemporary ministry likewise provides “water for the thirsty” through both physical aid and the living water of the gospel. See Also Kedar; Dedan; Ishmael; Wilderness travel; Hospitality in Scripture Forms and Transliterations וְתֵימָ֔א וְתֵימָֽא׃ ותימא ותימא׃ תֵּימָ֔א תֵּימָא֙ תֵּמָ֑א תימא תמא tê·mā teiMa teMa têmā veteiMa wə·ṯê·mā wəṯêmāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 25:15 HEB: חֲדַ֣ד וְתֵימָ֔א יְט֥וּר נָפִ֖ישׁ NAS: Hadad and Tema, Jetur, Naphish KJV: Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, INT: Hadad and Tema Jetur Naphish 1 Chronicles 1:30 Job 6:19 Isaiah 21:14 Jeremiah 25:23 5 Occurrences |
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