Interesting Facts

• Jokshan was one of the six sons born to Abraham through Keturah.
• He was born during the period of 2090-2099 AM.
• Jokshan had two sons: Sheba and Dedan.
• Along with his brothers, Jokshan received gifts from Abraham and was sent away eastward from Isaac while Abraham was still alive.
• The descendants of Jokshan, specifically Sheba and Dedan, did not dwell with their brethren in their cities, but journeyed and encamped in the countries and wildernesses.

Genealogy

• Jokshan was the son of Abraham.
• His mother was Keturah, who is described as being from the land of Canaan or as a Canaanitish woman which she bore unto Abraham the Hebrew or from among Abraham’s household servants after Hagar’s death.
• His brothers were Zimran, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
• Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim.

Historical Context

Jokshan’s life began in Abraham’s later years, after Abraham married Keturah in the 43rd Jubilee year, 2089 AM. This was a period where Abraham’s family expanded beyond the lineage of Isaac, the promised heir. It was a cultural norm for the patriarch to provide gifts and send away sons from secondary unions to establish their own territories. Abraham instructed his children and grandchildren to adhere to the Lord’s ways and maintain separation from the Canaanites. The eastward dispersal of Jokshan and his brothers, alongside Ishmael, likely served to keep Isaac’s line distinct in Canaan, as Isaac was the inheritor of the covenantal promises. The text notes that Jokshan’s sons, Sheba and Dedan, did not settle in cities with their brethren but remained as nomadic peoples in the wildernesses.

Narrative

Jokshan’s personal narrative, as presented in the sources, is primarily defined by his position as one of Abraham’s sons through Keturah. His birth signifies the growth of Abraham’s extended family. A key event in Jokshan’s narrative is receiving gifts from Abraham and being sent eastward with his brothers, away from Isaac. This act indicates the establishment of separate lineages and territories, distinguishing them from Isaac, who was the principal heir. The subsequent detail that Jokshan’s sons, Sheba and Dedan, continued as nomadic peoples in the wildernesses suggests a distinct trajectory for their branch of Abraham’s descendants, separate from those who settled in established cities. While the sources do not elaborate on Jokshan’s individual actions or character, his inclusion in the lineage of Abraham and the account of his dispersal eastward with his brothers contributes to the broader understanding of Abraham’s legacy and the origins of various peoples in the region.