Hebrew word · H6938

קֵדָר

kedar

Kedar

Two Arabian tribes, named in Genesis 25:13 as the first two sons of Ishmael (Nebaioth the firstborn, then Kedar). Kedar was a powerful herding confederation in the Syrian-Arabian desert, known for black goat-hair tents (Song 1:5), archers (Isa 21:16–17), and great flocks (Jer 49:28–29).

Appears 12 times in 11 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

A man of the Arabs living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.13;

son of: Ishmael (H3458);

brother of: Nebaioth (H5032), Adbeel (H0110), Mibsam (H4017), Mishma (H4927), Dumah (H1746), Massa (H4854), Hadad (H2301), Tema (H8485), Jetur (H3195), Naphish (H5305), Kedemah (H6929) and Mahalath (H4258)

§ Kedar = "dark"

1) a son of Ishmael

n pr people

2) the descendants of Kedar

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Isaiah 60:7

Range of meaning

Two Arabian tribes, named in Genesis 25:13 as the first two sons of Ishmael (Nebaioth the firstborn, then Kedar). Kedar was a powerful herding confederation in the Syrian-Arabian desert, known for black goat-hair tents (Song 1:5), archers (Isa 21:16–17), and great flocks (Jer 49:28–29). Nebaioth appears only in Genesis, 1 Chronicles 1:29 and here.

Against the English

English versions simply transliterate the names. The names on their own do not tell a modern reader that these are desert peoples descended from Abraham through Ishmael.

Used elsewhere in the period

Assyrian royal inscriptions of the 8th–7th centuries BC record the Qedarites (Qidri) and the Nabayati. Ashurbanipal's annals describe campaigns against both and the capture of their camels and flocks. Ezekiel 27:21 lists "Arabia and all the princes of Kedar" as Tyre's traders "in lambs, rams and goats." (Eph'al, The Ancient Arabs.)

From the study of Jeremiah 2:10

Range of meaning

A tribal people of the north Arabian and Syrian desert, traced in Genesis to a son of Ishmael. They were tent-dwelling herders and traders, sometimes organized under kings, and were famous for flocks, archery and caravans.

Against the English

All the major English versions keep "Kedar." The name is accurate but opaque, since few modern readers know it means the desert east. NLT supplies "go east," which makes the point visible.

Used elsewhere in the period

Genesis 25:13 names Kedar as a son of Ishmael. Isaiah 21:16-17 mentions its glory and archers, Isaiah 60:7 its flocks, Ezekiel 27:21 its trade in sheep and goats with Tyre, and Psalm 120:5 and Song of Songs 1:5 its tents. Jeremiah 49:28-33 gives a whole oracle against it, describing people with neither gates nor bars. Assyrian royal records of the 8th and 7th centuries BC name the Qedarites, and a 5th-century silver bowl from Tell el-Maskhuta in Egypt names a "king of Qedar."

From the study of Song of Songs 1:5

Range of meaning

A son of Ishmael (Genesis 25:13; 1 Chronicles 1:29), and the Arabian nomadic tribe named after him. They lived in the Syrian-Arabian desert and were known for flocks (Isaiah 60:7; Ezekiel 27:21), archers (Isaiah 21:16–17) and tent camps (Jeremiah 49:28–29). In Psalm 120:5 the 'tents of Kedar' stand for a hostile, foreign place to live. The name sounds like the verb qadar, 'to be dark, to go about in mourning-black' (Jeremiah 4:28; Joel 2:10).

Against the English

English versions all transliterate the name, which is right, but the reader loses both the pun on 'dark' and the picture of black goat-hair tents.

Used elsewhere in the period

Assyrian royal records of the 8th–7th centuries BC mention the Qedarites (Qidri) as a powerful Arab confederation. Bedouin tents were, and still are, woven from black goat hair.

Where it appears

Genesis · 1

  1. Genesis 25:13 וְקֵדָ֥ר and Kedar

    These are the names of the sons of Ishmael in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

1 Chronicles · 1

  1. 1 Chronicles 1:29 וְקֵדָ֥ר and Kedar

    These are their genealogies: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

Psalms · 1

  1. Psalm 120:5 קֵדָֽר׃ Kedar

    Woe to me that I dwell in Meshech, that I live among the tents of Kedar!

    Here: A powerful confederation of Arab tribes in the Syrian–Arabian desert, east and south-east of Israel. The Bible traces them to Ishmael (Gen 25:13) and knows them as tent-dwellers and archers (Isa 21:16–17).

Song of Songs · 1

  1. Song of Songs 1:5 קֵדָ֔ר Kedar

    I am dark, yet lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon.

    Here: An Arabian desert tribe descended from Ishmael (Genesis 25:13), known for flocks and black goat-hair tents. The name also sounds like the Hebrew verb qadar, 'to be dark', so the comparison carries a pun.

Isaiah · 4

  1. Isaiah 21:16 קֵדָֽר׃ Kedar

    For this is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a hired worker would count it, all the glory of Kedar will be gone.

  2. Isaiah 21:17 קֵדָ֖ר Kedar

    The remaining archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.” For the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.

  3. Isaiah 42:11 קֵדָ֑ר Kedar

    Let the desert and its cities raise their voices; let the villages of Kedar cry aloud. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them cry out from the mountaintops.

    Here: A powerful group of Arab herding tribes in the Syro-Arabian desert. The Bible traces them to Ishmael (Genesis 25:13). They were famous for black tents, flocks and archers. They stand for the far eastern desert peoples.

  4. Isaiah 60:7 קֵדָר֙ Kedar

    All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered to you; the rams of Nebaioth will serve you and go up on My altar with acceptance; I will adorn My glorious house.

    Here: A powerful Arabian tribe of tent-dwelling herders, named in Genesis 25:13 as a son of Ishmael. In the Bible Kedar stands for the sheep-rich peoples of the desert east of Israel (Jer 49:28–29; Ezek 27:21).

Jeremiah · 3

  1. Jeremiah 2:10 וְקֵדָ֛ר and Kedar

    Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look; send to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:

    Here: "And Kedar," the tent-dwelling peoples of the Syro-Arabian desert to the east. The name comes before its verb in Hebrew, which sets it sharply against the coastlands: sea people in the west, desert people in the east.

  2. Jeremiah 49:28 לְקֵדָ֣ר׀ קֵדָ֔ר of Kedar, Kedar

    Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated, this is what the LORD says: “Rise up, advance against Kedar, and destroy the people of the east!

Ezekiel · 1

  1. Ezekiel 27:21 קֵדָ֔ר Kedar

    Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your customers, trading in lambs, rams, and goats.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.