יְטוּר
Jetur, a son of Ishmael
Definition
Yᵉṭûwr (Jetur) is the name of a son of Ishmael, Abraham's son through Hagar, as listed in the genealogy of Genesis 25:15 and 1 Chronicles 1:31. This name also identifies a people group, the Itureans, descended from him, who are referenced as adversaries of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh during a war in 1 Chronicles 5:19. The name itself carries a geographical connotation, likely referring to a region or people known for their enclosure or mountainous terrain.
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively as a proper noun in the Old Testament. It appears in two contexts: first, in genealogical lists establishing the twelve tribal chiefs descended from Ishmael (Genesis 25:15, 1 Chronicles 1:31). Second, it identifies an enemy nation, the 'Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab,' that the Transjordanian tribes fought against (1 Chronicles 5:19). This shows the name evolved from an individual to an entire people group.
Etymology
The name Yᵉṭûwr likely derives from the Hebrew root ṭ-w-r (טור), meaning 'to row' or 'to range about,' but more significantly, it relates to the noun ṭûr (H6697), meaning 'a row' or 'a wall.' This connects to the idea of something 'enclosed' or 'encircled,' possibly describing a mountainous or fortified region. The name thus may characterize the territory associated with Jetur's descendants.
Semantic Range
Jetur represents one fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham concerning Ishmael, that he would become a great nation and father twelve rulers (Genesis 17:20). His inclusion in the biblical genealogies underscores God's sovereign plan in the lineage of Abraham's children, even those outside the covenant line of Isaac. The later conflict with Israel (1 Chronicles 5:19) illustrates the ongoing tension and strife foretold between Ishmael's line and Isaac's line (Genesis 16:12).
In the ancient Near East, personal names often described character, destiny, or geography. 'Jetur' likely identified his descendants with a specific, perhaps rugged, territory. By the time of 1 Chronicles, 'Jetur' no longer referred to a single person but to the Iturean people, a nomadic or semi-nomadic Arabian tribe known in later history (e.g., Luke 3:1) for inhabiting the region northeast of the Sea of Galilee.
Yishma'e'l (Ishmael, H3458) — Jetur's father and the progenitor of his line. Dumah (H1746) — Another son of Ishmael and brother of Jetur, also representing a people and region.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →