Who was Mered in the Bible?

Mered was a descendant of Judah, listed as a son of Ezrah in the genealogy of 1 Chronicles 4:17. He is notably recorded as having married Bithiah, who is identified as a daughter of Pharaoh.

Why is Mered's marriage to Bithiah significant?

Mered's marriage to an Egyptian princess (1 Chronicles 4:18) is a rare biblical instance of an Israelite marrying into Egyptian royalty. This suggests a period of peaceful relations or significant social standing for his family within the tribe of Judah.

What do we know about Mered's family?

According to 1 Chronicles 4:17-18, Mered had other wives from the tribe of Judah and was the father of several children. His lineage is part of the detailed genealogies that trace the heritage of King David and, ultimately, Jesus Christ.

Mered

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleSon

Mered, a son of Ezrah, married Bithiah, the daughter of Pharaoh (1Ch.4.17,18).

Mered

Biography

Mered was a descendant of Judah whose brief genealogical mention in 1 Chronicles 4:17-18 contains a remarkably unusual detail. Identified as a son of Ezrah, Mered is distinguished by his marriage to Bithiah, who is described as a daughter of Pharaoh. This extraordinary union between an Israelite from the tribe of Judah and an Egyptian princess stands out as one of the more surprising cross-cultural marriages recorded in the Old Testament genealogies. Through Bithiah, Mered had children including Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah, the father of Eshtemoa. He also had a Judean wife who bore Jered, Heber, and Jekuthiel. The genealogy connects Mered's descendants to the founding of several towns in Judah, suggesting his family held considerable prominence in the region.

Significance

Mered's marriage to Bithiah carries striking theological weight. That an Egyptian princess would leave her royal household to join herself to an Israelite family suggests a narrative of faith crossing ethnic boundaries, foreshadowing the inclusion of Gentiles in God's covenant community. The Chronicler's preservation of this detail within Judah's genealogy implies that Bithiah was embraced within Israel, much like Rahab and Ruth. Mered's story quietly demonstrates that God's redemptive plan was never exclusively ethnic but always carried universal scope. His descendants' role as founders of Judean settlements further shows how those grafted into the covenant community contributed meaningfully to the life of God's people, anticipating the New Testament vision of one people drawn from every nation.

Authority Records

Wikidata

SpouseBithiah

Verse Appearances (2)

1Chr

1Chr 4:17 1Chr 4:18

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]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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