Who was Shepho in the Bible?

Shepho was a Horite chief, the son of Shobal, who lived in the land of Seir. He is listed in the genealogies of the Horites, the original inhabitants of the region before the descendants of Esau displaced them (Genesis 36:20, 23).

Why is Shepho mentioned in the Bible?

Shepho's mention establishes the historical presence and lineage of the Horite people in Seir. This genealogy shows the land's history before Esau's descendants, the Edomites, settled there, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham's lineage (Genesis 36:20).

What does the Bible say about Shepho's life?

The Bible provides no narrative events from Shepho's life. His mention is purely genealogical, identifying him as a son of Shobal and a chief among the Horites, which underscores the detailed historical record preserved in Scripture (1 Chronicles 1:40).

Shepho

Old TestamentPatriarchsMaleSon

Shepho, a Horite chief, the son of Shobal, who lived in the land of Seir.

Shepho

Biography

Shepho was a Horite chieftain, listed in the genealogical records of Genesis 36:23 and 1 Chronicles 1:40 as a son of Shobal, one of the sons of Seir the Horite. The Horites were the pre-Edomite inhabitants of the land of Seir, the mountainous region south of the Dead Sea that later became Edomite territory. Shobal's sons, including Shepho, are recorded among the clan chiefs of Horite society whose communities occupied the land before Esau's descendants displaced or absorbed them (Deuteronomy 2:12). Shepho's name appears in both the Mosaic and Chronistic genealogical traditions, suggesting that the ancient Horite tribal records were preserved with care as part of Israel's broader understanding of the peoples who inhabited the land before them.

Significance

Shepho's presence in the biblical genealogies serves the narrative purpose of documenting the peoples of the ancient Near East within the framework of the Table of Nations and the broader story of God's dealings with humanity. The inclusion of Horite genealogies in Genesis 36 reflects the biblical concern to account for all nations and peoples within the scope of divine providence. Shepho and his kindred represent the indigenous populations through whom God ordered the ancient world and whose displacement made way for the fulfillment of His covenant promises to Abraham's descendants. His record also illustrates the biblical principle that human history, even of nations outside the covenant, is not beyond the knowledge and purposes of the Creator.

Authority Records

Wikidata

FatherShobal

Verse Appearances (2)

Genesis

Genesis 36:23

1Chr

1Chr 1:40

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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