Interesting Facts

• ‘Ijaka is listed as one of the sons of Dan.
• According to the Book of Jubilees, ‘Ijaka died in Egypt within the year he entered.
• Dan had five sons, including ‘Ijaka, who journeyed with him to Egypt.
• The sources state that all of Dan’s sons, with the exception of Hushim, perished in Egypt in the year of their arrival.

Genealogy

• ‘Ijaka was the son of Dan.
• Dan was a son of Jacob (also known as Israel) and Bilhah, who was Rachel’s handmaid.
• Thus, Jacob and Bilhah were ‘Ijaka’s paternal grandparents.
• His uncles, the other sons of Jacob, were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, and Naphtali, and his aunt was Dinah [as inferred from his father’s lineage as a son of Jacob].
• ‘Ijaka had four brothers: Hushim, Samon, Asudi, and Salomon. Similar to ‘Ijaka, Samon, Asudi, and Salomon also died in the year they entered Egypt.

Historical Context

‘Ijaka’s life unfolded during a period marked by severe famine in the land of Canaan, as chronicled in the Book of Jubilees. This famine resulted in widespread barrenness in Canaan, contrasting with the abundance of provisions in Egypt under Joseph’s management. In response to the famine, Jacob, along with his entire household comprising seventy souls, made the decision to migrate to Egypt in search of sustenance. ‘Ijaka was among those who undertook this journey and entered the land of Egypt. Notably, the Book of Jubilees specifies that ‘Ijaka died in the same year as his arrival in Egypt. This suggests that the hardships of the famine preceding their journey or the rigors of the travel itself may have contributed to his early death shortly after reaching the land of Goshen, where Jacob and his family were to reside under Joseph’s care.

Narrative

The personal narrative of ‘Ijaka within the provided sources is concise, essentially limited to his inclusion in the genealogical lists of Jacob’s descendants who went down to Egypt. His primary significance lies in his place within the lineage of Dan and his participation in the family’s migration to escape the famine. The crucial detail concerning ‘Ijaka is his death, along with three of his brothers, in the very year of their arrival in Egypt. This stands in contrast to the subsequent establishment and multiplication of many other members of Jacob’s family in the region of Goshen. While the texts do not attribute any specific actions or dialogues to ‘Ijaka, his existence and early demise contribute to the broader narrative of the challenges and vulnerabilities faced by Jacob’s family during this pivotal period of transition. His story underscores the profound impact of the severe famine and the difficulties encountered during the journey to find refuge in Egypt. ‘Ijaka’s name, therefore, serves as a record of the human cost associated with this significant migration in Israelite history.