Bible Person

Shobal

Meaning: path; ear of corn · Male · 5 cross references

Shobal is one of the Horite sons of Seir and the head of a clan in the genealogies tied to Seir and Edom. His line contributes to the wider map of peoples inhabiting the region around Esau's descendants. First appears in Gen 36:20.1

AI summary: Shobal matters because the cross references preserve one of the principal Horite branches in Seir. Through his sons and sibling relationships, the genealogies sketch the regional kinship structure that frames Edom's later setting. These names are not dramatic, but they help the Bible locate its neighboring peoples with precision. Taken together, the material presents Shobal as a Horite clan ancestor within the broader Seir-Edom landscape.1