Tohu
Tohu, also known as Nahath or Toah, was an ancestor of the prophet Samuel, mentioned in his genealogy.
Biography
Tohu (also rendered Toah in 1 Chronicles 6:34 and Nahath in 1 Chronicles 6:26) was an ancestor of the prophet Samuel, appearing in the Ephraimite-Levitical genealogy preserved in 1 Samuel 1:1 and 1 Chronicles 6. He belonged to the tribe of Levi, specifically the Kohathite branch, and lived during a period that preceded the great transitions of the Israelite monarchy. Though Tohu himself receives no narrative attention in Scripture, his place in Samuel's ancestry signals continuity within a divinely appointed lineage. The careful preservation of his name in multiple genealogical records reflects the ancient Israelite conviction that family lines mattered, particularly when those lines produced figures of enormous spiritual consequence such as Samuel.
Significance
Tohu's significance lies entirely in his position within a genealogy that culminates in Samuel, one of the most pivotal figures of the Old Testament. Samuel would anoint both Saul and David, effectively shaping the entire trajectory of Israel's monarchy and, through David's line, the messianic promise. Tohu illustrates how God works through generations of ordinary, unnamed lives to prepare for extraordinary moments of revelation and leadership. His story echoes the broader biblical theme that faithfulness across obscure generations bears fruit in ways that only become visible long after those individuals have passed from the scene.
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]
- 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]