Hamul
Hamul was a son of Perez and a grandson of Judah, mentioned in the genealogies of Genesis, Numbers, and 1 Chronicles.
Biography
Hamul was a son of Perez and grandson of Judah, making him a second-generation descendant of one of Israel's most prominent patriarchal figures. His name likely means "spared" or "pitied" in Hebrew. Hamul is mentioned in three genealogical passages: Genesis 46:12, which records Jacob's family descending to Egypt; Numbers 26:21, which lists the Hamulites among the Judahite clans in the wilderness census; and 1 Chronicles 2:5, which traces the Judahite genealogy. Though Hamul himself appears only in these lists, his brother Hezron became an important figure whose descendants include the royal Davidic line. As a son of Perez, whose birth narrative is itself remarkable (Genesis 38:27–30), Hamul belongs to a lineage of unusual prominence in the biblical story.
Significance
Hamul's significance lies in his membership within the tribe of Judah, specifically within the Perezite clan from which King David would ultimately descend (Ruth 4:18–22; Matthew 1:3). His inclusion in the Israelite census in Numbers 26 demonstrates that his line had grown sufficiently to constitute a recognized Judahite family group. The Hamulites thus form one strand of the rich tribal tapestry of Judah, the tribe through which God's promise to Jacob: "the scepter shall not depart from Judah" (Genesis 49:10), would ultimately be fulfilled in the Davidic dynasty and, ultimately, in Jesus Christ.
Verse Appearances (3)
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]