Ard
Descendant of Benjamin and ancestor of the Ard clan
Ard was a descendant of Benjamin, Jacob's youngest son, and the ancestor of the Ard clan within the tribe of Benjamin. He is mentioned in two different genealogies: In Genesis 46:21 he is counted among Benjamin's sons who went with Jacob to Egypt, while Numbers 26:40 specifies that he was a son of Bela, Benjamin's firstborn. Such differences in genealogical detail are common in biblical family trees, where the Hebrew word for 'son' (ben) includes both direct sons and more distant descendants. Ard's significance lies primarily in his role as founder of the Ard clan (ha-ardi), which was recorded in the census on the plains of Moab before the entry into Canaan. He may possibly be identified with Addar in 1 Chronicles 8:3, based on consonant interchange in the name.
Familia
Hechos clave
Mentioned in Jacob's family that went to Egypt
Ard is listed among the descendants of Benjamin who went down to Egypt with Jacob and his family. In the genealogy in Genesis, he is listed as one of Benjamin's sons, but this can be understood as a shorthand where grandsons are included under the grandfather's name.
Ancestor of the Ard clan in the census
In the census on the plains of Moab, Ard is mentioned as the son of Bela, son of Benjamin, and founder of the Ard clan (ha-ardi). Here the family relationship is specified more accurately than in Genesis, and the clan was registered with a view to land distribution in Canaan.
Possible identification with Addar in Chronicles
In 1 Chronicles 8:3, 'Addar' is mentioned among Bela's sons. Several scholars believe this is a name variant of Ard based on consonant swapping (metathesis), which would then confirm his place in Bela's lineage.