Lexical Summary Dishon: Dishon Original Word: דִּישׁוֹן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Dishon (Diyshon, the same as diyshon; Dishon, the name of two Edomites -- Dishon. see HEBREW diyshon NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom dishon Definition two Edomites NASB Translation Dishon (7). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. דִּישֹׁן proper name, masculine 1. a son of Seir דִּשׁוֺן Genesis 36:21 = דִּישֹׁן 1 Chronicles 1:38; 2 a son of Anah & grandson of Seir דִּשֹׁ֑ן Genesis 36:25 compare Genesis 36:30 so also Genesis 36:26 (for דִּישָׁן q. v.) = דִּישׁוֺן 1 Chronicles 1:41 (twice in verse); 1 Chronicles 1:42, compare also following Topical Lexicon Name and Meaning Dishon (דישון) is most plausibly connected with the idea of a swift-moving animal such as a gazelle. The name itself therefore conveys vitality and agility, fitting imagery for a clan that would have needed speed and resourcefulness in the rugged hill country of Seir. Biblical References The personal and clan name occurs seven times, all within genealogical catalogues: Genesis 36:21, Genesis 36:25, Genesis 36:30; 1 Chronicles 1:38, 1 Chronicles 1:41 (twice in textual variants), and 1 Chronicles 1:42. Each reference situates Dishon among the sons or chiefs of Seir the Horite. A representative citation is Genesis 36:21: “Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan: these were the chiefs of the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom”. Family Lineage and Clan Identity 1. Son of Seir the Horite (Genesis 36:20-21). Historical and Geographical Setting The Horites were the original cave-dwelling inhabitants of Mount Seir, the mountainous territory south-east of the Dead Sea. Their culture pre-dated Esau’s incursion, yet they eventually merged with Edomite society (Deuteronomy 2:12). Dishon’s clan likely controlled an interior district of Seir, contributing to the strategic network of chiefs that governed trade routes connecting Arabia to the Levant. In the patriarchal era these chiefs functioned as semi-nomadic sheikhdoms, each with defined grazing lands, copper deposits, and caravan toll points. Relationship to Esau and Edom Genesis 36 intertwines Horite and Edomite lines, revealing an early pattern of intermarriage and political alliance. Seir’s offspring, including Dishon, become “chiefs” under an Edomite heading, underscoring how Esau’s descendants absorbed existing peoples instead of annihilating them. This composite identity explains later prophetic oracles against Edom that encapsulate both Horite and Edomite guilt (for example, Obadiah 1:8-10). Cultural Significance of the Clan System In the ancient Near East, a chief’s name often marked both a person and the group under his authority. Thus “Dishon” refers simultaneously to the patriarch and to the community that bore his banner. Tribal names were etched into territory, seals, and trade agreements, giving Dishon long-standing recognition among neighboring peoples even after individual members dispersed or intermarried. Theological Reflections 1. Preservation of Genealogies. The meticulous recording of “minor” names like Dishon testifies to Scripture’s concern for historical precision and covenant continuity. Every clan, however obscure, stands within the unfolding plan that culminates in the Messiah (Luke 3 traces similar minutiae in the Messianic genealogy). Ministry Application 1. Discipleship and Detail. Teachers can highlight Dishon when modeling how “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). Even brief genealogical names carry lessons about heritage, humility, and God’s inclusivity. Conclusion Dishon stands as a small yet significant thread in the tapestry of Genesis and Chronicles. Though the biblical text offers no exploits or speeches, the very preservation of the name reinforces God’s concern for every family line, reminds believers of the comprehensive scope of divine providence, and challenges the church to cherish and proclaim the account of redemption to all peoples, from the famous to the seemingly marginal. Forms and Transliterations דִּישׁ֑וֹן דִּשֹׁ֑ן דִּשֹׁ֛ן דִישׁ֔וֹן דִישׁ֖וֹן דישון דשן וְדִישֹׁ֥ן וְדִשׁ֥וֹן ודישן ודשון dî·šō·wn ḏî·šō·wn di·šōn diShon dišōn dîšōwn ḏîšōwn vediShon wə·ḏi·šō·wn wə·ḏî·šōn wəḏîšōn wəḏišōwnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 36:21 HEB: וְדִשׁ֥וֹן וְאֵ֖צֶר וְדִישָׁ֑ן NAS: and Dishon and Ezer and Dishan. KJV: And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: INT: and Dishon and Ezer and Dishan Genesis 36:25 Genesis 36:30 1 Chronicles 1:38 1 Chronicles 1:41 1 Chronicles 1:41 1 Chronicles 1:42 7 Occurrences |
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