Naphish

Naphish is one of the twelve sons of Ishmael, named in the genealogies of Genesis and Chronicles. He appears only in those tribal lists, between Jetur and Kedemah, as one of the "twelve princes according to their nations" descended from Hagar's son.

A Son of Ishmael

The Genesis genealogy introduces the line as the generations of Ishmael, "Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's slave, bore to Abraham" (Ge 25:12), and then names the sons in order: "the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, Hadad, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah" (Ge 25:13-15). The list is closed with the formula that ranks each son: "These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their villages, and by their encampments. Twelve princes according to their nations" (Ge 25:16).

The Chronicler repeats the same roster with minor variation, again placing Naphish near the end of the twelve: "These are their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, Mishma, and Dumah, Massa, Hadad, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael" (1Ch 1:29-31).