Interesting Facts

• Chamudan is identified as a Moabite.
• His daughter, Aphlaleth, became the wife of Dan, one of Jacob’s sons.
• Aphlaleth was initially barren.
• God eventually remembered Aphlaleth, and she conceived and bore a son named Chushim.

Genealogy

• Chamudan is the father of Aphlaleth.
• His son-in-law is Dan, the son of Jacob.
• His grandson is Chushim, the son of Dan and Aphlaleth.

Historical Context

Chamudan is identified as a Moabite, placing him within the context of the Moabite people, who were neighbors of the Israelites. The sources do not provide extensive details about the specific cultural or political climate of Moab during Chamudan’s lifetime. However, the fact that Dan sought a wife from Moab indicates some level of interaction or proximity between Jacob’s family and the Moabites. The narrative also touches upon the divine intervention in the barrenness of Aphlaleth, reflecting the religious beliefs and understanding of the times where fertility was seen as a blessing from God.

Narrative

Chamudan’s primary role in the narrative presented in the sources is through his daughter, Aphlaleth, who became the wife of Dan. The initiative for this marriage is attributed to Dan, who “went to the land of Moab and took for a wife Aphlaleth, the daughter of Chamudan the Moabite”. Initially, Aphlaleth was barren, which is noted as a significant issue, as offspring were highly valued in this cultural context. The text then states that “God afterward remembered Aphlaleth the wife of Dan, and she conceived and bare a son, and she called his name Chushim”. Chamudan himself does not engage in any direct actions or dialogue within the provided excerpts, but his existence as Aphlaleth’s father establishes a connection between the lineage of Jacob and the people of Moab. His significance in the narrative lies in his familial tie to one of the twelve tribes of Israel.