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Jetur

biblical_proper_name theological_term standard

Jetur is a biblical proper name used for an Ishmaelite son and, by extension, the people descended from him.

At a Glance

Type: biblical proper name; Main references: Genesis 25:15; 1 Chronicles 1:31; 1 Chronicles 5:19.

Key Points

Description

Jetur is a biblical proper name found in the genealogies of Ishmael’s descendants and later in a historical notice involving Ishmaelite groups. Genesis 25:15 and 1 Chronicles 1:31 list Jetur among Ishmael’s sons, while 1 Chronicles 5:19 places Jetur among neighboring peoples connected with Israel’s tribal history. The name is therefore best treated as a person-and-people entry: first a descendant of Ishmael, and then the clan or people associated with that ancestor. Scripture does not present Jetur as a doctrinal term, so the entry should be read as part of the Bible’s historical and genealogical record.

Biblical Context

In Genesis, Jetur appears in the list of Ishmael’s sons, showing the fulfillment of God’s word that Ishmael would become a great people. In Chronicles, the name reappears in a historical setting that reflects the tribal and regional landscape known to Israel.

Historical Context

Jetur likely refers not only to an individual ancestor but also to a clan or people group descended from him. In the biblical world, such names could function both personally and collectively, identifying a family line, tribe, or territory.

Jewish and Ancient Context

Ancient Jewish readers would have understood Jetur within the larger Ishmaelite genealogies that trace related peoples in the biblical record. The name belongs to the Bible’s nation- and clan-list framework rather than to later doctrinal reflection.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

Hebrew: יְטוּר (Yetur), a proper name traditionally rendered Jetur.

Theological Significance

Jetur has limited direct theological significance, but it contributes to the Bible’s witness that God governs the rise of peoples and preserves historical memory through genealogies.

Philosophical Explanation

As a proper name, Jetur is descriptive rather than conceptual. Its value lies in identifying a real person or people group in the biblical record, not in expressing an abstract doctrine.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not treat Jetur as a theological term. The passage in 1 Chronicles may refer to the person, the clan, or the territory associated with the name, so the exact historical scope should not be overstated.

Major Views

Most readers and reference works treat Jetur as both an Ishmaelite son and, by extension, the clan descended from him. The precise force of the name in 1 Chronicles 5:19 is not fully certain, but the collective sense is natural in context.

Doctrinal Boundaries

No direct doctrine is attached to the name itself. Any theological use should remain limited to general truths about God’s providence over nations and his faithfulness in history.

Practical Significance

Jetur reminds readers that Scripture values genealogies, nations, and peoples as part of God’s historical ordering of the world.

Related Entries

See Also

Data

Machine-readable JSON for Jetur

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