Lexical Summary
Magdiel: Magdiel
Original Word:מַגְדִּיאֵל
Part of Speech:Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration:Magdiy'el
Pronunciation:mag-dee-EL
Phonetic Spelling:(mag-dee-ale')
KJV: Magdiel
NASB:Magdiel
Word Origin:[fromH4022 (מֶגֶד - choice) andH410 (אֵל - God)]
1. preciousness of God
2. Magdiel, an Idumaean
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Magdiel
Frommeged and'el; preciousness of God; Magdiel, an Idumaean -- Magdiel.
see HEBREWmeged
see HEBREW'el
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
meged and
elDefinition"excellence of God," an Edomite chief
NASB TranslationMagdiel (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
,
Genesis 36:43 =
1 Chronicles 1:54;
B (Chronicles),
A (Genesis), (Chronicles, compare
L) — (compare Sabean Derenb
Études i. 65, Palmyrene (? ) Cook
Aramaic Glossary 70).
, see .
, , see .
proper name see .
I, II. , , see I, III. .
[] see . see .
see . [] see .
, , see .
see . see .
Topical Lexicon
Occurrences and Immediate ContextMagdiel appears twice in the Old Testament, both times within genealogical catalogues that list the territorial chiefs (or “dukes”) descended from Esau.
•Genesis 36:43: “Magdiel and Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom according to their settlements in the land they possessed.”
•1 Chronicles 1:54, which echoes the Genesis record.
In both passages Magdiel is presented as one of the last named tribal leaders of Edom, grouped with others who governed distinct regions in Seir after Esau’s lineage had become established.
Historical Setting within Edom
1. Political Structure: The chiefs ofGenesis 36 represent tribal leaders who exercised localized authority in a confederation of clans rather than a centralized monarchy. Magdiel therefore governed a district or fortified settlement that carried his name.
2. Timeframe: The list stands chronologically after the generation of Esau’s immediate sons (Genesis 36:15-19), suggesting a phase when the Edomites had grown numerous and settled broadly across the rugged territory south-east of the Dead Sea.
3. Geographic Possibility: Although no archaeological site has been confirmed, many scholars associate Magdiel with a fortified stronghold in northern Edom, perhaps near the caravan routes that later linked Bozrah and Petra. The element “tower/fortress” in the name suits such a locale.
The Significance of the Name
Magdiel combines a root for “magnify” or “be great” with the divine title “El.” The construction hints at a boast of strength gained from (or directed toward) deity. In Edom’s milieu of highland citadels, the name likely celebrated a clan’s proud claim that God—or the gods—supported their might. Scripture records the name without comment, yet its very form underscores a paradox: a people often hostile to Israel still bore witness, however dimly, to the supremacy of God.
Connections to Israel’s Story
1. Sibling Nations: Jacob and Esau were twins (Genesis 25:24-26); their descendants, Israel and Edom, remained intertwined in both kinship and conflict. The inclusion of Magdiel in Genesis underscores that God’s covenant record tracks every branch of Abraham’s family tree, not Israel only.
2. Prophetic Tension: Later oracles condemn Edom’s pride and violence (Obadiah 8-10;Amos 1:11-12). Magdiel’s apparent fortress setting anticipates those warnings about Edomite self-reliance and impending judgment.
3. Parallel Structures: Esau’s twelve chiefs roughly mirror Israel’s twelve tribal fathers. The symmetry hints at God’s impartial governance of nations (Deuteronomy 2:4-5) while highlighting the distinct covenant destiny reserved for Jacob.
Theological Observations
• Divine Sovereignty: By naming even peripheral Edomite chiefs, Scripture demonstrates God’s exhaustive knowledge of nations (Psalm 147:4).
• Accountability of the Gentiles: Although Magdiel stood outside the covenant line, Edom’s subsequent history shows that all peoples are measured against God’s standards of justice (Jeremiah 49:7-22).
• Preservation of the Record: 1 Chronicles reproduces Genesis almost verbatim centuries later, reinforcing the reliability of earlier revelation and the continual relevance of genealogical data to Israel’s identity.
Ministry Applications
1. Confidence in Scripture: Lists that modern readers may skim attest to the historical bedrock of biblical revelation. When God gives names, He anchors faith in verifiable reality.
2. Humility before God’s Omniscience: Even an obscure chieftain like Magdiel is not lost to God’s memory; believers may rest assured that their own labors are likewise recorded (Malachi 3:16).
3. Warning against Prideful Strength: Edom’s fortresses could not save it; similarly, personal or national might apart from God invites eventual downfall (Proverbs 16:18).
4. Hope for the Nations: The fact that Gentile lineages stand inside the sacred text anticipates the gospel’s reach to “every nation and tribe and tongue and people” (Revelation 14:6).
Summary
Magdiel designates both a person—the Edomite chief—and the district he ruled during the formative generations after Esau. Though mentioned only twice, the name sits at the crossroads of biblical themes: God’s meticulous record-keeping, the intertwined destinies of Israel and Edom, and the abiding truth that no earthly stronghold rivals the protection found in the Lord.
Forms and Transliterations
מַגְדִּיאֵ֖ל מגדיאל maḡ·dî·’êl maḡdî’êl magdiEl
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