Original Word: תַּחַשׁ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Tachash
Pronunciation: tah-khash
Phonetic Spelling: (takh'-ash)
KJV: Thahash
NASB: Tahash
Word Origin: [the same as H8476 (תַּחַשׁ - porpoise)]

1. Tachash, a relative of Abraham

badger

The same as tachash; Tachash, a relative of Abraham -- Thahash.

see HEBREW tachash

Word Origin
from the same as tachash
Definition
a son of Nahor
NASB Translation
Tahash (1).

II. תַּ֫חַשׁ proper name, masculine 'son' of Nahor Genesis 22:24; Τοχος; identification by Wkl^{Mitth. d. Vorderas. Gesellsch. 1896, 207} with T£—esï (Egyptian), which WMM^As.u.Eur.258 puts north of Kadesh on Orontes.

Biblical Occurrence

Genesis 22:24 records the single mention of Tahash: “And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore sons: Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.”

Family Connections

• Grandson of Terah through Nahor, making him Abraham’s nephew (Genesis 11:27; 22:20–24).
• Full brothers: Tebah, Gaham, and Maacah.
• Half-brothers: Uz, Buz, Kemuel, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel (Genesis 22:21–22).

This placement situates Tahash within the broader Aramean lineage that later interacts with Israel (Genesis 24:10; Deuteronomy 26:5).

Historical Background

The notice follows immediately after the account of Isaac’s near-sacrifice (Genesis 22:1–19). By inserting Nahor’s line here, Scripture preserves the wider family tree and prepares readers for future marriages and alliances (for example, Rebekah from Bethuel in Genesis 24). The concubine’s offspring, though born outside the primary wife’s lineage, still receive mention, illustrating the custom of listing even secondary lines to show God’s providence over all descendants of Terah.

Tribal and Regional Associations

While Scripture gives no further detail about Tahash, extrabiblical onomastics suggest Aramean or northern Arabian connections. Several scholars link the names in Genesis 22:24 with settlements north of Haran and in the Syrian desert. If so, Tahash may have become eponymous head of a semi-nomadic clan positioned along trade routes that later bordered Israel’s sphere.

Theological Significance

1. Covenant Scope: By naming Tahash alongside Abraham’s line, the text underscores that God’s knowledge extends beyond the chosen seed (Genesis 17:19) to the wider family network, fulfilling the promise that “all the families of the earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3).
2. Genealogical Reliability: Inclusion of an otherwise obscure figure like Tahash attests to the historical precision of Genesis and reinforces confidence in the integrity of Scripture’s record (Luke 3:34–36 traces related lines in the New Testament).
3. Divine Providence: Tahash’s existence testifies that every life, even those appearing only once in Scripture, is under God’s sovereign oversight (Psalm 139:16).

Ministry Applications

• Value of the Unknown: Tahash’s brief mention reminds modern believers that prominence is not prerequisite for significance in God’s plan (1 Corinthians 12:22).
• Encouragement for Families: The text models careful remembrance of extended relatives, prompting believers to pray for and minister to their broader family circles.
• Teaching Genealogies: Sunday School and small-group leaders can use Tahash to show how seemingly minor verses weave into the larger redemptive narrative, fostering appreciation for Bible study in less-traveled passages.

Christological Thread

Although Tahash stands outside the Messianic line, his inclusion in Abraham’s wider family highlights the theme of nations springing from Terah’s household. Jesus Christ, the ultimate fulfillment of the Abrahamic promise, gathers people from every tribe and tongue (Revelation 7:9). The solitary note about Tahash anticipates the ingathering of those once peripheral to the covenant but now invited into salvation through the gospel (Ephesians 2:12–13).

תַּ֖חַשׁ תחש ta·ḥaš Tachash taḥašInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts