Genesis 25:14 names him as a son of Yishma-El (ישמאל), father of a tribe in the region of Arabia.
The root means "silence" or "place of silence" and is used poetically for the Underworld (She'ol).
Isaiah 21:11/12 has an oracle of the watchman that seems to relate to Dumah in its second meaning - a Yisra-Eli equivalent of Hades - rather than the tribe.
v11: MASA DUMAH ELAY KOR'E MI SE'IR SHOMER MAH MI LAILAH SHOMER MAH MI LAILAH
The burden of Dumah. One calls to me out of Se'ir: "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?"
Which really needs to be read in conjunction with Psalm 22, in which Dumah also makes an appearance - the Psalm of the journey of the Earth-god through the Underworld, which in this case is the night sky, emerging at Ayalet ha Shachar, which is the dawn.
Isaiah 21:11/12 has an oracle of the watchman that seems to relate to Dumah in its second meaning - a Yisra-Eli equivalent of Hades - rather than the tribe.
v11: MASA DUMAH ELAY KOR'E MI SE'IR SHOMER MAH MI LAILAH SHOMER MAH MI LAILAH
מַשָּׂא דּוּמָה אֵלַי קֹרֵא מִשֵּׂעִיר שֹׁמֵר מַה מִּלַּיְלָה שֹׁמֵר מַה מִּלֵּיל
The burden of Dumah. One calls to me out of Se'ir: "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?"
v12: AMAR SHOMER ATAH VOKER VE GAM LAILAH IM TIVAYUN BE AYU SHUVU ETAYU
אָמַר שֹׁמֵר אָתָה בֹקֶר וְגַם לָיְלָה אִם תִּבְעָיוּן בְּעָיוּ שֻׁבוּ אֵתָיוּ
The watchman said: "The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, then inquire, return, come."
Which really needs to be read in conjunction with Psalm 22, in which Dumah also makes an appearance - the Psalm of the journey of the Earth-god through the Underworld, which in this case is the night sky, emerging at Ayalet ha Shachar, which is the dawn.
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