Who are the…
Children of the East mentioned in the days of Gideon

also known as: sons of the east, people of the east

This phrase is used to refer to various people groups.

In the time of Gideon

In the book of Judges, “children of the east” refers to the Arabs as a whole, also known as the Nabateans or Kedarites (Kedareans). They were nomadic tribes descended from Ishmael, a son of Abraham.

And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them; and they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. —Judges 6:3 KJV

Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the valley of Jezreel. —Judges 6:33 KJV

Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. —Judges 7:12

Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their camps with them, about 15,000 men, all who were left of the entire camp of the sons of the east; for the fallen were 120,000 men who drew the sword. —Judges 8:10

The prophet Jeremiah also refers to the Kedar people (Kedarites) as the “children of the east” (Jeremiah 49:28). That land is idenified with Arabs.

The “children of the east” are descendants of Abraham through Ishmael, rather than Isaac).

Other Children of the East

In other Scriptures, the term “children of the east” simply refers to people that live east of the land of Israel. Examples:

The man Job who lived in the land of Uz (Job 1:1)…

His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 pairs of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the sons of the east. —Job 1:3

The city and lands of Haran in Mesopotamia, now in Turkey…

…Jacob took up his journey and came to the land of the sons of the east. —Genesis 29:1 excerpt

King Solomon:

…Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. —1 Kings 4:30 excerpt

The wisemen (magi) who honored and worshipped young Jesus:

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem… —Matthew 2:1 excerpt

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Article Version: September 19, 2024