Lexical Summary Keran: Horn, Ray, Beam Original Word: כְּרָן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Cheran Of uncertain derivation; Keran, an aboriginal Idumaean -- Cheran. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition an Edomite NASB Translation Cheran (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs כְּרָ֫ן proper name, masculine an Edomite Genesis 36:26 = 1 Chronicles 1:41. כִּרְסֵם see below כסם Topical Lexicon Occurrences in Scripture Genesis 36:26; 1 Chronicles 1:41 Genealogical Setting and Historical Background Cheran appears twice, both times within genealogical records that trace the clans of Seir the Horite who inhabited the hill country later known as Edom. In Genesis 36, Moses records the sons of Dishon, highlighting Cheran as one of four brothers. Centuries later, the Chronicler preserves the same name when rehearsing Israel’s broad ancestral table. These parallel lists confirm the continuity of the text across the canon and underscore the Spirit-guided preservation of even the lesser-known figures who make up the tapestry of redemptive history. The Horites were an indigenous, non-Israelite people who lived in the region before the descendants of Esau took control (Genesis 36:20–30). By including Cheran, Scripture situates Israel’s neighbor Edom within a larger account that reaches back to the sons of Noah and forward to the prophets’ oracles against Edom (Obadiah 1). These records demonstrate that God’s covenant dealings with Israel unfolded in a wider geopolitical context that He Himself ordained and governed. Textual Significance 1. Reliability of Scripture. The unbroken agreement between Genesis 36:26 and 1 Chronicles 1:41 testifies to the meticulous care with which the biblical text was transmitted. Even marginal names match across eras separated by nearly a millennium. Lessons for Ministry Today • Faithfulness in obscurity. Cheran’s quiet place in Scripture encourages pastors and lay people who serve without public acclaim. Ministry that seems hidden to men is never hidden from God. Key Scripture Quotation “These were the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.” (Genesis 36:26) “Hamran, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran.” (1 Chronicles 1:41) Related Themes and Cross-References • Edom’s later hostility: Numbers 20:14-21; Psalm 137:7; Obadiah 1. Cheran’s brief appearance, therefore, is not incidental. It contributes to the intricate genealogical framework that validates Scripture’s historical claims, illuminates God’s universal sovereignty, and inspires confidence that every servant of the Lord is known and valued. Forms and Transliterations וּכְרָֽן׃ וכרן׃ ū·ḵə·rān ucheRan ūḵərānLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 36:26 HEB: וְאֶשְׁבָּ֖ן וְיִתְרָ֥ן וּכְרָֽן׃ NAS: and Eshban and Ithran and Cheran. KJV: and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran. INT: and Eshban and Ithran and Cheran 1 Chronicles 1:41 2 Occurrences |