Interesting Facts

• Alad is identified as one of the sons of Hanoch.

Genealogy

• Alad’s father was Hanoch.
• Hanoch was one of the sons of Midian.
• Midian was a son of Abraham.
• Alad had brothers named Reuel, Rekem, Azi, and Alyoshub.

Historical Context

As a grandson of Midian and a great-grandson of Abraham, Alad would have likely been born during the period when Abraham’s grandchildren were born, which according to Jasher occurred between the years 2136 and 2149 A.M.. This period follows the death of Abraham. During this time, the sons of Midian, including Alad’s father Hanoch, journeyed eastward to the land of Cush and established themselves in a large valley, where they built a city, and this region became known as the land of Midian. The sources also mention a famine in the land after the death of Abraham, during which Isaac, Abraham’s son, dwelt in Gerar and interacted with the Philistine king Abimelech. However, Alad is not mentioned in connection with these events. His existence is situated within the broader historical context of the early expansion of Abraham’s descendants and the establishment of the Midianite people in their territory east of Cush.

Narrative

The provided excerpts from the Book of Jasher and Jubilees do not contain any specific narrative details concerning Alad, the son of Hanoch, as an individual. His name is mentioned solely within a genealogical listing in Jasher 25:12, where he is listed as one of the five sons of Hanoch, who was a son of Midian and a grandson of Abraham. Therefore, Alad’s significance within the narrative scope of these ancient texts is strictly genealogical in nature. His inclusion serves to document the familial connections and the propagation of Abraham’s lineage through the line of Midian. The active narratives within the sources during this period primarily focus on the lives and significant events surrounding figures such as Isaac, Esau, and Jacob, including the famine, Esau’s interactions with Nimrod, and Isaac’s sojourn in Gerar and subsequent dealings with Abimelech. Consequently, Alad’s role in these texts is limited to his place within the ancestral records, and no independent actions, dialogues, or personal history are attributed to him in these sources.