Bedan
Bedan was a descendant of Manasseh, listed in the genealogy of Machir and Gilead.
Biography
Bedan appears in the genealogy of the tribe of Manasseh recorded in 1 Chronicles 7:17, identified as the son of Ulam and a descendant through the line of Machir and Gilead. He belongs to a section of the Manassite genealogical record that traces the descendants of one of Joseph's sons, highlighting the clans that would inherit portions of the Transjordan territory. Bedan's name may be connected to the Hebrew preposition meaning 'in Dan,' though its precise etymology is debated. A figure also named Bedan appears in 1 Samuel 12:11, where Samuel cites him as a judge God sent to deliver Israel, possibly a different individual or an alternate name for Samson or Barak, as ancient textual traditions vary.
Significance
Bedan's inclusion in the Manassite genealogy of 1 Chronicles illustrates the meticulous care with which Israel preserved its tribal records, particularly important for post-exilic communities seeking to reestablish land inheritance and communal identity. If the Bedan of 1 Samuel 12:11 is the same figure, he takes on additional theological weight as one of the deliverers God raised up to rescue Israel from its enemies, demonstrating God's faithfulness to His covenant people even during cycles of apostasy and repentance. Either way, Bedan represents the principle that God works through specific individuals in specific family and tribal lines to accomplish His redemptive purposes across generations.
Verse Appearances (1)
1 Chronicles
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]