Genesis 22:21 kjv

Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,

Genesis 22:21 nkjv

Huz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,

Genesis 22:21 niv

Uz the firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel (the father of Aram),

Genesis 22:21 esv

Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,

Genesis 22:21 nlt

The oldest was named Uz, the next oldest was Buz, followed by Kemuel (the ancestor of the Arameans),

Genesis 22 verses

Genesis 22 21 Meaning

Genesis 22:21 lists three of Nahor's sons: Uz, Buz, and Kemuel, alongside Kemuel's role as the father of Aram. This verse is part of a brief genealogy detailing the descendants of Abraham's brother Nahor through his wife Milcah. It provides significant genealogical information, connecting Abraham's wider family to groups that will later play roles in biblical history, particularly the Arameans. It serves to show the continuation of life and progeny, a theme central to the divine promises to Abraham, even amidst the extended family.

Genesis 22 21 Context

This verse appears directly after the climactic and emotionally charged narrative of Abraham's ultimate test of faith on Mount Moriah, the binding of Isaac (Akeida), and God's reaffirmed covenant promise (Gen 22:1-19). The sudden shift to a genealogy of Nahor's family in Genesis 22:20-24 serves multiple purposes. First, it offers a narrative pause and contrast to the preceding drama, easing the reader into a new section. Second, it reintroduces Nahor, Abraham's brother, who was last mentioned significantly in Genesis 11, and details his family. Third, and most crucially for the wider biblical narrative, it introduces Rebekah (Gen 22:23), who will become Isaac's wife in Genesis 24, thereby linking Isaac to Abraham's broader family tree. Furthermore, by mentioning Uz and Buz, it hints at peoples or lands that will later appear in the Book of Job, and by naming Kemuel as the father of Aram, it identifies the patriarchal ancestor of the Aramean people, a group that will frequently interact with Israel throughout Old Testament history, particularly through figures like Laban and later powerful kingdoms. Historically, genealogies were vital records in ancient Near Eastern societies, affirming identity, heritage, and claims to land or leadership, and the inclusion of this list ensures that the broader family context surrounding the covenant line of Abraham is established.

Genesis 22 21 Word analysis

• Uz (עוּץ, 'Ûts):
  • Meaning: "Counsel," "adviser."
  • Significance: He is the firstborn son of Nahor and Milcah listed here, indicating his importance in their family lineage. The land of Uz, famously associated with Job (Job 1:1), is traditionally located northeast of Edom and might derive its name from this figure, suggesting a broad tribal presence connected to Abraham's kin. The inclusion of Uz here implicitly ties a wider Semitic people group to Abraham's ancestral family.
• his firstborn (בְּכֹרוֹ, b'koro):
  • Meaning: The initial offspring, the first son.
  • Significance: In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the firstborn son held significant rights, including a double portion of inheritance and leadership of the family. This designation highlights Uz's primary position within Nahor's line and affirms a patriarchal system.
• and Buz (וּבוּז, ûVūz):
  • Meaning: "Contempt," "despised."
  • Significance: Buz is the brother of Uz and the second son listed. This name also appears as a tribal or geographical designation in the Old Testament, most notably as the progenitor of Elihu the Buzite in the Book of Job (Job 32:2). This genealogical connection links the narrative world of Abraham to figures appearing much later in the biblical text.
• his brother (אָחִיו, 'āḥîw):
  • Meaning: "His sibling" or "kinsman."
  • Significance: Reinforces the direct familial relationship between Uz and Buz, indicating a shared immediate parentage (Nahor and Milcah). This clarifies the close relationship within Nahor's immediate family.
• and Kemuel (וּקְמוּאֵל, ûQemû'ēl):
  • Meaning: "God has arisen," "God's established one," or "God's congregation."
  • Significance: The third son of Nahor and Milcah mentioned in this specific verse. His name has a theological connotation, similar to many Hebrew names.
• the father of Aram (אֲבִי אֲרָם, 'ăvî 'Arām):
  • Meaning: Progenitor of Aram.
  • Significance: This crucial phrase establishes Kemuel as the direct ancestor of the Aramean people. The Arameans, or Syrians, were a significant people group in the ancient Near East, frequently interacting with Israel both as allies and adversaries. This connection explains the origins of peoples who later become integral to Israelite history, emphasizing that many surrounding nations were distantly related to Abraham's family. For example, Jacob's flight to Paddan-Aram (Hosea 12:12) to live with his Aramean uncle Laban connects the Israelite patriarchs directly to this family line. This highlights God's sovereignty over the nations, even those outside the direct covenant line of Isaac.

Genesis 22 21 Bonus section

The immediate appearance of this genealogy following the highly intense Akeida (binding of Isaac) event has prompted significant scholarly discussion. Some propose it acts as a "calming interlude" after extreme tension, re-grounding the reader in a more mundane, albeit essential, aspect of biblical narrative: the continuity of family and lineage. Others suggest it re-emphasizes the theme of fertility and family growth, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham of numerous descendants, albeit through his broader kin rather than exclusively Isaac at this point. This list also serves a strategic narrative function by introducing Rebekah's lineage (through Bethuel, son of Milcah, in v. 23) ahead of her role in the critical Genesis 24 marriage narrative. Furthermore, naming specific descendants like Kemuel as "father of Aram" subtly reinforces the truth that nations derive from families, grounding their historical existence in a biblical genealogical framework.

Genesis 22 21 Commentary

Genesis 22:21 is a succinct yet vital genealogical entry, functioning as more than a simple list of names. Placed immediately after the near-sacrifice of Isaac, it skillfully shifts the narrative from profound theological drama to the unfolding reality of Abraham's expanded family tree. The inclusion of Nahor's sons through Milcah — Uz, Buz, and Kemuel (father of Aram) — not only fills out Abraham's broader kin relationships but also establishes foundational links to various peoples encountered later in the biblical narrative. Uz and Buz hint at the geographical and personal landscape of the Book of Job, implicitly drawing Job's story into the larger Abrahamic world, even if distantly related. Most significantly, Kemuel's identification as the progenitor of Aram reveals the kinship of the powerful Aramean nations to Abraham's lineage. This demonstrates how God's providential plan encompasses not only the chosen covenant line of Isaac but also the surrounding nations whose origins are traced back to the patriarchs' kin, foreshadowing the complex historical, cultural, and spiritual interactions that define Israel's story. It subtly reminds us that while Abraham's covenant line is chosen, God is sovereign over all kindreds and nations, many of whom have shared ancestral roots.