Who was Letushim in the Bible?

Letushim was a grandson of Abraham, specifically a son of Dedan and a descendant of Abraham through his wife Keturah. He is mentioned only in the genealogical list in Genesis 25:3.

Why is Letushim mentioned in the Bible?

Letushim's mention establishes him as part of the fulfillment of God's promise to make Abraham the father of many nations (Genesis 17:4-5). His lineage shows how Abraham's descendants through Keturah spread, though the covenant line continued through Isaac.

What happened to Letushim in the Bible?

The Bible records no specific events in Letushim's life. His sole appearance is as a name in the genealogy of Abraham's sons through Keturah, indicating he was a tribal ancestor of a people group (Genesis 25:1-4).

Letushim

Old TestamentFemaleSon

Letushim, a son of Dedan and descendant of Abraham and Keturah (Gen.25.3).

Letushim

Biography

Letushim appears in Genesis 25:3 as a son of Dedan and therefore a grandson of Jokshan, who was himself a son of Abraham and his wife Keturah. The Table of Nations in Genesis and the genealogy of Abraham's descendants by Keturah together paint a picture of the peoples who spread across the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding regions from Abraham's family line. Letushim, as with his brothers Asshurim and Leummim, likely represents an eponymous ancestor, a name that gave identity to a particular tribe or people group descended from Dedan's clan. The name Letushim may relate to a concept of hammering or sharpening, possibly connected to a tribe known for metalwork or warfare. Though no historical or archaeological identification is certain, Letushim represents the extension of Abraham's family blessing into the wider world of ancient Near Eastern nations.

Significance

Letushim's place in Abraham's genealogy (Genesis 25:3) reflects the remarkable reach of the Abrahamic blessing into the broader family of nations. God's promise to Abraham included blessing to all families of the earth (Genesis 12:3), and the descendants of Keturah, including Letushim, represent the outward spread of that family into Arabia and beyond. While Israel was the primary channel of covenant promise, the genealogies remind readers that Abraham was indeed made "a father of many nations" (Genesis 17:5). Letushim's brief mention testifies to the breadth of God's creative work through Abraham's household, and anticipates the New Testament teaching that the blessing of Abraham was always intended to overflow the boundaries of a single ethnic community.

Verse Appearances (1)

Genesis

Genesis 25:3

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]

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