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Children of Eber
The Sons of Ever or Bnei Eyver (בני-עבר) a synonym for the earliest cultural Hebrews, are first mentioned in the Hebrew Bible in Genesis 10:21. In orthodox circles the term is understood to refer to the wider family of Hebrew (commonly identified as Habiru) peoples from whom Abraham came. Each of the names of the children in question is understood to stand for the different Hebrew nations. In Protestant & Reform circles Hebrews are defined as descending from Abraham and the identification of the Bnei Eyver of Genesis 10:21 remains obscure except for the eighth generation around whose descendants the biblical narratives are mainly concerned.
The first contemporary dynasties of Bnei Eyver consists solely of Joktan & Peleg in whose time "the earth was divided" (Gen 10:25).
In the second generation there are thirteen children of Joktan Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, Obal, Abimael, Sheba (not in Arabia), Havilah (not in Arabia), Jobab (described in Chinese name books), Ophir (not in arabia) mentioned while only Reu is recorded as from Peleg.
In the third to fifth generations only Reu's descendants are mentioned being namely Serug who fathered the first Nahor whence came Terach.
In the sixth generation only Terach's children are mentioned in the bible: the second Nahor, Harran, and Abram. Along with their base in "Ur Kasidim" the names in this generation strongly indicate a north Mesopotamian homeland (a belief which was commonplace up until the twentieth century). However attempts to point out non-Afroasiatic languages such as Hurrian language or Hattic language as the most likely languages for the generations up to this point are frowned upon. This is because such statements fly in the face of the beliefs of many that the Israelites preserved the perfect form of the same language "spoken in Eden" (!).
In the seventh generation, Nahor fathered Utz, Buz, Kesed, Chazo, Pildash, Yidlaf, Bethuel (Laban's father) and Kemuel. Harran fathered Lot. Abram fathered Ishmael and then as Abraham fathered Isaac Zimran, Medan, Ishbak, Shuah, Jokshan and Midian.
In the eighth generation the nations of the biblical settings finally emerge. Bethuel's son is Laban, Kemuel's son is Aram (Aram of two Nahors or Aram-Narharaim) by whom the Nahorites came to be known as Arameans. Lot's children were the Ammonites and Moabites.
Still in the eighth generation a special "cousin" relationship is supposed to be the ideal amongst the following. Ishmael's children Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. Isaac's children the Edomites and Israelites. Jokshan's children Sheba and Dedan. And finally Midian's children Ephah, Henoch, Abida, Eldaah and Epher. In orthodox circles the ideal state of Israel would foster peaceful relations between all these Bnei Dodim nations living harmoniously together with equal right to the land promised Abraham's descendants, but under the rule of the Israelites.
Category: Torah people
Other related archivesAbida, Abimael, Abraham, Abram, Adbeel, Ammonites, Aram, Arameans, Bethuel, Dedan, Edomites, Ephah, Habiru, Hadoram, Harran, Hattic language, Hebrew Bible, Hebrews, Henoch, Hurrian language, Isaac, Ishmael, Israelites, Joktan, Kedar, Kemuel, Laban, Lot, Medan, Midian, Moabites, Nahor, Nahorites, Nebaioth, Ophir, Peleg, Reu, Serug, Sheba, Sheleph, Terach, Torah people, Ur Kasidim, Utz, Uzal, Zimran
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Children of Eber", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
