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H715 · Hebrew · Old Testament
אַרְדּוֹן
ʾArdon
Proper noun, masculine
Ardon

Definition

The name Ardon may derive from a root meaning 'to roam' or 'fugitive,' though its precise etymology is debated. Ardon appears as a son of Caleb, the faithful spy who wholly followed the LORD.

Usage & Theological Significance

That Caleb — one of only two adults from Egypt who entered Canaan — had a son named Ardon ('wanderer/fugitive') presents a striking contrast. The father is the embodiment of settled faith; the name of the son evokes wandering. This illustrates how even the most faithful believers may have children who struggle to find their footing. Caleb's family lineage is preserved because of God's promise, showing that divine covenant faithfulness endures beyond any individual's spiritual state.

Key Bible Verses

1 Chronicles 2:18 Caleb the son of Hezron fathered children by his wife Azubah, and by Jerioth; and these were her sons: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon.
Numbers 14:24 But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went.
Joshua 14:14 Therefore Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the LORD.
Deuteronomy 1:36 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh. He shall see it, and to him and to his children I will give the land on which he has trodden.
Numbers 26:65 For the LORD had said of them, 'They shall die in the wilderness.' Not one of them was left, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

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