2566. Chamran
Lexical Summary
Chamran: Chamran

Original Word: חַמְרָן
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Chamran
Pronunciation: kham-rawn'
Phonetic Spelling: (kham-rawn')
KJV: Amran
NASB: Hamran
Word Origin: [from H2560 (חָמַר - To boil up)]

1. red
2. Chamran, an Idumaean

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Amran

From chamar; red; Chamran, an Idumaean -- Amran.

see HEBREW chamar

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from chamar
Definition
a desc. of Esau
NASB Translation
Hamran (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
חַמְרָן proper name, masculine 1 Chronicles 1:41 ( = חֶמְדָּן Genesis 36:26 q. v.)

Topical Lexicon
Scriptural Occurrence

Hamran is named once in the Old Testament, in the parallel genealogies of Esau’s descendants recorded in 1 Chronicles 1:41. This list preserves the tribal lines that settled in the hill country of Seir prior to the establishment of the monarchy in Israel.

Genealogical Setting

1 Chronicles 1:35–42 catalogs successive generations from Esau down to the “chiefs” (or clan-heads) who ruled Edom. Hamran appears as one of four sons of Dishon, who is himself a son of Anah, grandson of Seir the Horite. The hierarchy may be diagrammed as follows:

Seir → Anah → Dishon → Hamran, Eshban, Ithran, Cheran

Thus Hamran belongs to the third generation under Seir and the fourth generation beneath Esau’s wider family tree. The Chronicler’s purpose is to show that Israel’s neighbors—particularly Edom—developed ordered, hereditary leadership structures long before the emergence of the Davidic kingdom, underscoring the sovereignty of God over all nations and peoples (Deuteronomy 32:8).

Historical and Cultural Context

1. The Horites in Seir

Archaeological data and biblical testimony (Genesis 14:6; Genesis 36:20–30) associate the Horites with cave-dwelling clans who mined the copper-rich Arabah. When Esau’s descendants intermarried with them, a mixed Edomite-Horite confederation arose. Hamran’s clan would therefore have lived in a rugged, mineral-laden terrain that sat astride key caravan routes between the Red Sea port of Elath and the inland trade centers to the north.

2. Clan-Chief Structure

Genesis 36 and 1 Chronicles 1 repeatedly employ the term “chief” (ʾallûph), indicating tribal or district leadership. The Chronicler preserves the same office structure when listing Hamran among Dishon’s sons. A chief typically controlled grazing land, water rights, mines, and defense networks. Although Scripture offers no explicit narration of Hamran’s exploits, his inclusion implies recognized authority within Edom’s broader federation.

Theological Implications

1. God’s Sovereignty Over the Nations

By recording Edomite genealogy next to that of Israel, the Holy Spirit sets Israel’s history inside God’s universal governance. Hamran, though outside the covenant line, is remembered by name, illustrating that the Lord “determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands” (Acts 17:26).

2. The Promise-Threat Duality

Edom’s chiefs trace back to Abraham through Esau, but they also symbolize persistent hostility toward Jacob’s line (Obadiah 10–14). Hamran’s clan becomes a sober reminder that physical descent from the patriarchs, absent covenant faith, does not guarantee covenant blessing.

3. Fulfillment of Prophecy

Before the twins were born, the Lord declared, “The older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:23). Genealogical lists such as that containing Hamran demonstrate God’s providential unfolding of this oracle. Though Edom developed early political structures, Israel would later gain ascendancy (2 Samuel 8:13–14).

Lessons for Ministry

1. Value in the “Hidden” Names

Genealogies teach that every person—named once or named often—matters to God. Hamran’s solitary mention encourages believers who labor in obscurity, reminding them that the “Father who sees in secret” (Matthew 6:4) records their work.

2. Heritage and Influence

Leaders shape generations. Hamran inherited status through Dishon; yet Scripture also reports later judgment on Edom for its arrogance (Jeremiah 49:7–22). Spiritual legacy involves both privilege and accountability.

3. Neighbor Awareness

Understanding Edom’s background aids modern readers in interpreting prophetic oracles against Edom (Isaiah 34; Obadiah). Pastors and teachers can draw parallels when addressing contemporary ethnic tensions, urging reconciliation grounded in the gospel.

Related Names and Variants

The consonantal text underlying “Hamran” is rendered “Hemdan” in Genesis 36:26. Textual variants likely reflect dialectal pronunciation or transcriptional shifts rather than separate individuals. Both forms designate the same Edomite chief, emphasizing continuity between the Genesis and Chronicles records.

Summary

Although Hamran stands in Scripture as a minor figure, his place within Edom’s early leadership network testifies to the meticulous preservation of history in the biblical canon. His record upholds divine faithfulness, affirms the dignity of every individual in God’s redemptive plan, and invites the church to consider both the blessings and warnings embedded in ancestral lines.

Forms and Transliterations
חַמְרָ֥ן חמרן chamRan ḥam·rān ḥamrān
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
1 Chronicles 1:41
HEB: וּבְנֵ֣י דִישׁ֔וֹן חַמְרָ֥ן וְאֶשְׁבָּ֖ן וְיִתְרָ֥ן
NAS: of Dishon [were] Hamran, Eshban,
KJV: of Dishon; Amram, and Eshban,
INT: and the sons of Dishon Hamran Eshban Ithran

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 2566
1 Occurrence


ḥam·rān — 1 Occ.

2565
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