Person Old Testament
Gatam
Gatam was a son of Eliphaz, grandson of Esau, and one of the chiefs of Edom. Mentioned in 3 verses across 2 books, first at Genesis 36:11.
Why it matters. Son of Eliphaz; grandson of Esau; Edomite chief.
- Primary passages
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Gatam
Gatam is mentioned in Gen.36.11, 16, and 1Ch.1.36 as one of the sons of Eliphaz and a grandson of Esau. Esau, also known as Edom, was the twin brother of Israel (or 'Jacob') and the ancestor of the Edomites (Gen.25.30; 36.1). Gatam is listed among the chiefs of Edom, indicating that he held a position of authority and leadership within the Edomite tribal structure (Gen.36.16). The Edomites were the descendants of Esau who settled in the region of Seir, south of the Dead Sea (Gen.36.8-9). They became a significant political and military power in the region, often in conflict with the Israelites (Num.20.14-21; 1Sa.14.47; 2Sa.8.13-14). The mention of Gatam and the other chiefs of Edom in the genealogical records emphasizes the importance of family lineage and tribal organization in the ancient Near East.
Description from STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0, lightly reformatted. This is background reference material, not Scripture and not a FaithGraph editorial claim.
Connections
No reviewed connections yet.
Family
Family links from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0). Where the dataset marks an identification as uncertain, the mark is kept. Matthew and Luke give different genealogies for Jesus; see the Lineage page, which never merges them.
- Parents
- Eliphaz
Appears in Scripture
Named in 3 verses across 2 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.