Interesting Facts

• Aphlaleth, also known as ‘Egla, was a Moabite woman.
• She became the wife of Dan, one of the sons of Jacob.
• The sources explicitly state that Aphlaleth was initially barren, indicating a period of childlessness.
• Divine intervention is noted in her story, as “God afterward remembered Aphlaleth the wife of Dan, and she conceived and bare a son, and she called his name Chushim”. This highlights a significant role of the divine in her personal narrative.

Genealogy

• Aphlaleth’s father was Chamudan the Moabite.
• Her husband was Dan, a son of Jacob.
• Her son was Chushim, born after God “remembered” her.

Historical Context

Aphlaleth’s identity as a Moabite places her within the historical and cultural sphere of Moab, a nation bordering the Israelite territories. The marriage between a member of Jacob’s lineage (Dan) and a Moabite woman suggests interactions and potential intermingling between these groups during this period. While the sources do not elaborate on the specific political or societal conditions in Moab at the time of this union, the act of seeking a wife from a neighboring people indicates a degree of openness or necessity in familial alliances. Furthermore, the emphasis on Aphlaleth’s initial barrenness and the subsequent divine intervention in her conception reflects the cultural importance placed on fertility and the prevalent belief that the divine hand influenced such matters. This context underscores the significance of offspring in the patriarchal society and the perceived role of God in fulfilling this expectation.

Narrative

Aphlaleth’s narrative, as presented in the sources, centers on her marriage to Dan and the subsequent birth of her son, Chushim. Dan is described as having “went to the land of Moab and took for a wife Aphlaleth, the daughter of Chamudan the Moabite, and he brought her to the land of Canaan”. This action highlights Dan’s agency in forming this cross-cultural marriage. A key aspect of Aphlaleth’s story is her initial barrenness, a state often viewed with concern in ancient Near Eastern societies where lineage and progeny were paramount. The narrative emphasizes a turning point where “God afterward remembered Aphlaleth the wife of Dan, and she conceived and bare a son, and she called his name Chushim”. This divine remembrance signifies a pivotal moment in her personal story and has implications for the lineage of the tribe of Dan. Aphlaleth herself has no recorded dialogue or direct actions beyond her role as wife and mother. Her significance in the broader narrative lies in her contribution to the lineage of the twelve tribes of Israel through her son, Chushim, and her origin from Moab, illustrating a connection between the Israelites and their Moabite neighbors within the patriarchal framework of these ancestral accounts.