Who was Pildash in the Bible?

Pildash was one of the sons of Nahor, who was the brother of the patriarch Abraham. His mother was Milcah, Nahor's wife, making him Abraham's nephew (Genesis 22:20-22).

Why is Pildash mentioned in the Bible?

Pildash is listed in a genealogy to show the fulfillment of God's promise to make Abraham's family numerous. His mention establishes the extended family line from which Rebekah, Isaac's future wife, would later come (Genesis 24:15, 24).

What happened in Pildash's life?

The Bible does not record any specific events from Pildash's life. His significance lies solely in being named among the twelve sons of Nahor, which demonstrates the growth of Abraham's kindred.

Pildash

Old TestamentPatriarchsMaleSon of nahor

Pildash, one of the sons of Nahor, Abraham's brother, and Milcah.

Pildash

Biography

Pildash was one of eight sons born to Nahor and his wife Milcah, making him a nephew of the patriarch Abraham (Genesis 22:20-22). He is mentioned in the genealogical notice that Abraham received after the binding of Isaac, when news arrived that his brother Nahor's family had also grown. Pildash's brothers included Uz, Buz, Kemuel, Chesed, Hazo, Jidlaph, and Bethuel, the last of whom became the father of Rebekah, Isaac's future wife. Little else is recorded about Pildash individually, as his significance lies primarily in his place within the broader Abrahamic family tree. The family of Nahor settled in the region of Aram-Naharaim (Mesopotamia), maintaining the ancestral homeland while Abraham's line pursued God's call to Canaan. Pildash likely became the progenitor of a clan or tribal group in the upper Mesopotamian region.

Significance

Pildash's mention in Genesis 22:22 contributes to the biblical narrative's careful documentation of Abraham's extended family, which played a crucial role in the patriarchal period. The genealogy of Nahor's sons served a practical purpose: it established the kinship network from which Isaac and later Jacob would find their wives, preserving the covenant line's connection to a broader family identity. Pildash's inclusion demonstrates Scripture's attention to the wider web of relationships surrounding the chosen line, acknowledging that God's purposes involved not only Abraham's direct descendants but the surrounding peoples as well. These genealogies affirm that God's providential ordering of human history extends to entire family networks and nations.

Authority Records

Wikidata

FatherNahorMotherMilcah

Verse Appearances (1)

Genesis

Genesis 22:22

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]

View all sources & licensing →

See our editorial standards →

Content compiled from public domain scholarship, academic sources, and verified references. Editorial standards · View all sources