Interesting Facts

• Bildad is identified in the sources as one of the four sons of Shuach.
• As a son of Shuach, Bildad was a grandson of Abraham and Keturah.
• The provided texts do not contain any specific personal actions or dialogues attributed to Bildad; his mention is solely within a list of descendants.
• Bildad’s brothers are recorded as Mamdad, Munan, and Meban.
• As a descendant of Abraham through Keturah, Bildad was part of the lineage that received gifts from Abraham and was sent eastward from Isaac.

Genealogy

• Bildad’s father was Shuach, one of the six sons born to Abraham and his wife Keturah.
• His paternal grandfather was the patriarch Abraham.
• His paternal grandmother was Keturah, who was from the land of Canaan.
• Through his father, Bildad was a great-grandson of Terah and a descendant of Shem and Noah.
• His brothers, as named in the sources, were Mamdad, Munan, and Meban. The provided sources do not offer any information regarding Bildad’s birth, his own marital connections, or any potential offspring.

Historical Context

Bildad’s existence would be situated in the period following Abraham’s marriage to Keturah and the subsequent birth of their children, including Shuach. As a grandson of Abraham through Shuach, Bildad would have been part of the lineage that received gifts from Abraham and was directed to journey eastward, away from Isaac, who was designated as Abraham’s primary heir. This eastward migration led Bildad’s family and the other descendants of Keturah to establish themselves in territories east of Canaan. The cultural and religious environment for Bildad’s family would have been shaped by the legacy of Abraham, who commanded his descendants to observe the way of the Lord, to work righteousness, and to avoid the ways of the Canaanites and their idols. The descendants of Abraham’s sons through Keturah, including the lineage of Shuach and thus potentially Bildad, eventually mingled and were known as Arabs. Therefore, Bildad’s life and the potential growth of his own family would have occurred within this historical context of eastward migration and the development of communities carrying the Abrahamic heritage, distinct from the line of Isaac. This period falls within the later years of Abraham’s life and the generations immediately following his death.

Narrative

Within the narrative framework of the provided texts, Bildad’s role is strictly genealogical. He is mentioned solely as one of the sons of Shuach, thereby contributing to the record of Abraham’s expanding family through his union with Keturah. His inclusion serves to document the proliferation of Abraham’s descendants and the diversification of his lineage into various groups and geographical areas, as Abraham provided gifts and sent these lines eastward. Unlike central figures in the narratives, such as Isaac or Jacob, whose lives are detailed with specific events and interactions, Bildad remains a figure whose existence is acknowledged only through his position within the ancestral lists. His narrative significance lies in illustrating the fulfillment of the divine promise to Abraham regarding the multiplication of his seed. While the texts provide some broader context concerning the dispersal and settlement of Abraham’s other sons and their descendants, Bildad himself is defined by his place within the familial structure, signifying the early branching of Abraham’s progeny through Keturah.