Reu

Biblical Record

Reu appears in the genealogy of Shem in Genesis 11, which traces the line from Shem to Abraham. Genesis 11:18 records, "And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu." According to Genesis 11:20–21, Reu was thirty-two years old when he fathered Serug, and he lived another 207 years afterward, fathering other sons and daughters. The text records nothing further about his life or deeds. The two figures add up to 239 years, although Genesis 11 does not state a total lifespan for each individual in this genealogy.

The genealogy continues from Reu through Serug, Nahor, and Terah to Abram (Abraham) (Genesis 11:20–26). Reu was therefore Abraham's great-great-grandfather. 1 Chronicles 1:25 likewise lists Reu after Peleg in its record of Shem's line.

Several biblical names begin with "Reu." Reuben, the firstborn son of Jacob; Reuel, the son of Esau; and Reumah, the concubine of Nahor, are all different individuals from the Reu of this article. Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, is also called Reuel in Exodus 2:18.

Significance Within Scripture

Reu is significant as a link in the line of Shem that leads to Abraham after the Flood. In the New Testament, Luke 3:35, tracing the genealogy of Jesus Christ backward, lists Reu (spelled Ragau in the KJV) between Serug and Peleg. Reu does not appear in Matthew's genealogy, which begins with Abraham.

Interpretation and Debate

• Lifespans and chronology: The Hebrew Masoretic Text and the Septuagint give differing ages at which the patriarchs of Genesis 11 fathered their sons. As a result, methods of calculating chronology from this genealogy vary among scholars and traditions. Interpreters also differ on whether the genealogy should be read as a complete, unbroken line of descent or as a selective genealogy listing only key figures.
• Meaning of the name: The Hebrew name "Reu" is commonly associated with the meaning "friend" or "companion," though this interpretation is not certain.
• Explanations beyond the text: Genesis 10:25 says of Reu's father Peleg that "in his days was the earth divided." For this reason, some explanations link Reu's era to the period immediately following the Tower of Babel incident. The biblical text, however, does not directly associate Reu with the Tower of Babel.

In the Korean Church

Reu is rarely treated as a standalone topic in sermons or Sunday school lessons. Believers usually encounter him while reading the genealogies of Genesis 11 and 1 Chronicles 1 during whole-Bible reading programs. His name is typically mentioned only in passing when explaining the line leading to Abraham or Luke's genealogy of Jesus.