Kemuel

Nahor's son and Aram's father

The patriarchsPatriarchc. 2000 BC

Kemuel was a son of Nahor, Abraham's brother, and his wife Milcah. He is mentioned in the Bible as the father of Aram. The name Kemuel also appears in other contexts in the Old Testament, including as a leader from the tribe of Ephraim and as a Levitical leader.

Family

Key events

The birth of Kemuel is mentioned

After the binding of Isaac, Abraham learned that his brother Nahor had several sons with his wife Milcah, including Kemuel, who became the father of Aram.

20Some time later Abraham was told, "Milcah too has borne sons to your brother Nahor:
וַיְהִ֗י אַחֲרֵי֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וַיֻּגַּ֥ד לְאַבְרָהָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר הִ֠נֵּה יָלְדָ֨ה מִלְכָּ֥ה גַם־הִ֛וא בָּנִ֖ים לְנָח֥וֹר אָחִֽיךָ׃ ‬
21Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,
אֶת־ע֥וּץ בְּכֹר֖וֹ וְאֶת־בּ֣וּז אָחִ֑יו וְאֶת־קְמוּאֵ֖ל אֲבִ֥י אֲרָֽם׃ ‬
22Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel."
וְאֶת־כֶּ֣שֶׂד וְאֶת־חֲז֔וֹ וְאֶת־פִּלְדָּ֖שׁ וְאֶת־יִדְלָ֑ף וְאֵ֖ת בְּתוּאֵֽל׃ ‬
23Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother.
וּבְתוּאֵ֖ל יָלַ֣ד אֶת־רִבְקָ֑ה שְׁמֹנָ֥ה אֵ֙לֶּה֙ יָלְדָ֣ה מִלְכָּ֔ה לְנָח֖וֹר אֲחִ֥י אַבְרָהָֽם׃ ‬

Kemuel's family connection to Abraham

Kemuel is connected to Abraham's extended family through his father Nahor, who was Abraham's brother. This family link was important in Israel's patriarchal history.

27This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran, and Haran became the father of Lot.
וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת תֶּ֔רַח תֶּ֚רַח הוֹלִ֣יד אֶת־אַבְרָ֔ם אֶת־נָח֖וֹר וְאֶת־הָרָ֑ן וְהָרָ֖ן הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־לֽוֹט׃ ‬
28Haran died in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans, while his father Terah was still alive.
וַיָּ֣מָת הָרָ֔ן עַל־פְּנֵ֖י תֶּ֣רַח אָבִ֑יו בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מוֹלַדְתּ֖וֹ בְּא֥וּר כַּשְׂדִּֽים׃ ‬
29Abram and Nahor both took wives. Abram's wife was named Sarai, and Nahor's wife was named Milcah, the daughter of Haran, who was the father of Milcah and Iscah.
וַיִּקַּ֨ח אַבְרָ֧ם וְנָח֛וֹר לָהֶ֖ם נָשִׁ֑ים שֵׁ֤ם אֵֽשֶׁת־אַבְרָם֙ שָׂרָ֔י וְשֵׁ֤ם אֵֽשֶׁת־נָחוֹר֙ מִלְכָּ֔ה בַּת־הָרָ֥ן אֲבִֽי־מִלְכָּ֖ה וֽ͏ַאֲבִ֥י יִסְכָּֽה׃ ‬

Kemuel as father of Aram

Kemuel is identified as the father of Aram, linking him to the Arameans and the broader Semitic peoples in Mesopotamia.

21Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,
אֶת־ע֥וּץ בְּכֹר֖וֹ וְאֶת־בּ֣וּז אָחִ֑יו וְאֶת־קְמוּאֵ֖ל אֲבִ֥י אֲרָֽם׃ ‬

Another Kemuel as a leader in Ephraim

A man named Kemuel, son of Shuham, was appointed as a leader for the tribe of Ephraim to help distribute the land of Canaan.

24and the leader from the tribe of Ephraim, Kemuel son of Shiphtan;
וּלְמַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי־אֶפְרַ֖יִם נָשִׂ֑יא קְמוּאֵ֖ל בֶּן־שִׁפְטָֽן׃ ‬

Kemuel as a Levitical leader

In David's time, a Kemuel, son of Hashabiah, is mentioned as a leader over the Levites, showing that the name held significance across several generations in Israel's history.

17for Levi, Hashabiah son of Kemuel; for Aaron, Zadok;
לְלֵוִ֛י חֲשַׁבְיָ֥ה בֶן־קְמוּאֵ֖ל לְאַהֲרֹ֥ן צָדֽוֹק׃ ס ‬

Mentioned in the Bible (3)