Kedar (son of Ishmael)
A person in the Bible. Also called Kedar, Qedar, Kedar son of Ishmael, Qaydar.
| Classification | Biblical figure |
|---|---|
| Era | Patriarchal period (dating varies among scholars) |
| Father | Ishmael |
| Related Figures | Abraham (grandfather), Hagar (grandmother), Nebajoth (older brother) |
| Biblical References | Genesis 25:13; 1 Chronicles 1:29 |
Kedar was the second son of Ishmael, the son of Abraham. Scripture records him as the ancestor of an Arabian nomadic tribe that the Old Testament also calls "Kedar."
About this articleAI draft from a Korean source. Notes on Korean Protestant practice. No sources listed. Not yet reviewed by a person.
- Origin
Drafted by AI from the Korean church.wiki article, then translated and adapted for English readers on 5 November 2026.
- Perspective
Includes notes on Korean Protestant practice; other traditions are noted where they differ.
- Sources
None listed yet. The article draws on the biblical text and general reference works. Add a source
- Review
Not yet reviewed by a person. Last edited by a person: never. Translation updated 5 November 2026. Edit history
Biblical Record
Kedar the individual is named directly in only two verses, both of which record the genealogy of Ishmael. Genesis 25:13 and 1 Chronicles 1:29 list the twelve sons of Ishmael, naming Kedar after the firstborn, Nebajoth. Genesis 25:16 records that these twelve sons, each with his own towns and encampments, became "twelve princes according to their nations." Scripture says nothing about Kedar's life or deeds. The story of his father, Ishmael, and his grandmother, Hagar, is treated in the article Hagar and Ishmael, and his grandfather is treated in the article Abraham.
Significance in Scripture
Elsewhere in Scripture, "Kedar" refers not to the individual but to the tribe regarded as his descendants or to the region that tribe inhabited.
- Nomadic tents: In Psalm 120:5 the psalmist describes his plight of living in a strange and hostile place as dwelling "in the tents of Kedar." In Song of Solomon 1:5, "the tents of Kedar" serve as an image of blackness.
- Prophecies of judgment: In an oracle concerning Arabia, Isaiah 21:16–17 declares that the glory of Kedar will fail and that the number of its archers and mighty men will be diminished. Jeremiah 49:28–33 prophesies that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, will strike Kedar.
- Distant lands and trade: Jeremiah 2:10 pairs Chittim in the west with Kedar in the east to denote faraway places. Ezekiel 27:21 records that the princes of Kedar traded with Tyre in lambs, rams, and goats.
- Visions of restoration and praise: Isaiah 42:11 calls on "the villages that Kedar doth inhabit" to lift up their voice in praise, and Isaiah 60:7 depicts the flocks of Kedar being offered on God's altar.
The name Kedar does not appear in the New Testament.
Interpretations and Debates
- Ancestor and tribe: Scripture presents Kedar as the ancestor of a tribe but does not explain in detail how the individual Kedar is connected to the later tribe. Ancient Assyrian records are also known to mention a North Arabian tribal group called the Qedar.
- Interpretation of Isaiah 60: Christian tradition has read this passage as a scene of Gentile nations coming to God. Some interpreters connect it to the church and the mission to the Gentiles, while others regard it as a prophecy concerning restored Israel.
- Traditions outside the biblical text: Some Islamic traditions trace Muhammad's lineage to Kedar (Arabic "Qaydar"). This claim is not made by the biblical text.
Perspective: Korean Protestant practiceHow this figure is used in Korean churches, kept from the original Korean article.
In Korean Protestant churches, Kedar is rarely treated as a figure in his own right in sermons or Sunday school. He is usually introduced as background to expressions such as "the tents of Kedar" and "the flocks of Kedar" when passages such as Psalm 120, Song of Solomon 1:5, and Isaiah 60 are expounded. Both the New Korean Revised Version and the Korean Revised Version render the name as "Gedal."
See also 8
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