Person Old Testament
Naphish
Also known as Naphish =ESV, NIV, KJV; Nephish =KJV
Naphish, a son of Ishmael, was among the Hagrite tribes defeated by the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Mentioned in 3 verses across 2 books, first at Genesis 25:15.
Why it matters. Son of Ishmael, defeated by Reubenites, Gadites, and Manassites.
- Primary passages
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-30 by the FaithGraph team
About Naphish
Naphish was one of the twelve sons of Ishmael, the son of Abraham and Hagar (Gen.25.15; 1Ch.1.31). As a descendant of Ishmael, Naphish would have been a member of the Ishmaelite tribes that settled in the Arabian Peninsula.
In 1Ch.5.19, Naphish is mentioned in the context of a war between the Israelite tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. These tribes were likely Ishmaelite clans living east of the Jordan River.
The Israelite tribes, trusting in God's help, went to war against these Hagrite tribes and were victorious. They captured a large number of livestock and took many people captive. The victory was attributed to God's intervention, as the Israelites had cried out to Him during the battle (1Ch.5.20).
Apart from these brief mentions, little else is known about Naphish or his specific role in the events described. His inclusion in the biblical record serves to highlight the ongoing interactions and conflicts between the Israelites and the surrounding tribes, as well as to demonstrate God's faithfulness to His people when they sought His help.
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
- Ishmael
Appears in Scripture
Named in 3 verses across 2 books. Occurrence data from STEPBible TIPNR (CC BY 4.0); references only, no translation text.