Dedan is a name that turns up as both a person and a people. Genesis lists him among the sons of Raamah, a son of Cush, and again among the sons of Jokshan. Later prophets speak of the men of Dedan as traders. Ezekiel 27:20 says plainly, “Dedan was thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots.” Yet Jeremiah 49:8 warns its people to turn back and dwell deep, for calamity is coming, and Ezekiel 25:13 joins them to Edom’s judgment. Start with Ezekiel 27, which pictures a crowded marketplace of nations, then see how Dedan appears among them.
7 verses
And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.
And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.
Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit him.
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword.
The men of Dedan were thy merchants; many isles were the merchandise of thine hand: they brought thee for a present horns of ivory and ebony.
Dedan was thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots.
Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?
Matthew George Easton, 1897
Low ground. (1.) A son of Raamah (Gen. 10:7). His descendants are mentioned in Isa. 21:13, and Ezek. 27:15. They probably settled among the sons of Cush, on the north-west coast of the Persian Gulf.
(2.) A son of Jokshan, Abraham’s son by Keturah (1 Chr. 1:32). His descendants settled on the Syrian borders about the territory of Edom. They probably led a pastoral life.
William Smith, 1884
(low country).
(1.) The name of a son of Raamah, son of Cush. (Genesis 10:7; 1 Chronicles 1:9)
(2.) A son of Jokshan, son of Keturah. (Genesis 25:3; 1 Chronicles 1:32) (B.C. after 1988.)