Shelah שֵׁלָה

Male Tribe of Judah H7956 3 books

Judah's youngest son and his descendants

Biography

Shelah was the third and youngest son of Judah, born to him in Chezib (Gen.38.5). After the deaths of his older brothers, Er and Onan, Judah promised Tamar, Er's widow, that Shelah would marry her when he grew up. However, Judah did not keep this promise (Gen.38.11,14,26).

Shelah's descendants were called Shelanites (Num.26.20) and were one of the clans of Judah. They were included in the census of the tribe of Judah in the wilderness (Num.26.20) and in the genealogies of Judah (1Ch.2.3; 4.21). Shelah's descendants included potters and linen workers who lived in Judah (1Ch.4.21-23).

Family

In Scripture

3 biblical books ; 1 with study content
Genesis 5 verses
  • Genesis 38:5

    "She yet again bore a son, and named him Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him."

    Study Genesis →
  • Genesis 38:11

    "Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, until Shelah, my son, is grown up;” for he said, “Lest he also die, like his brothers.” Tamar went and lived in her father’s house."

    Study Genesis →
  • Genesis 38:14

    "She took off the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she wasn’t given to him as a wife."

    Study Genesis →
  • Genesis 38:26

    "Judah acknowledged them, and said, “She is more righteous than I, because I didn’t give her to Shelah, my son.” He knew her again no more."

    Study Genesis →
  • Genesis 46:12

    "The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah; but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul."

    Study Genesis →
Numbers 1 verse
  • Numbers 26:20

    "The sons of Judah after their families were: of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, the family of the Perezites; of Zerah, the family of the Zerahites."

1 Chronicles 2 verses
  • 1 Chronicles 2:3

    "The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah; which three were born to him of Shua’s daughter the Canaanitess. Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in Yahweh’s sight; and he killed him."

  • 1 Chronicles 4:21

    "The sons of Shelah the son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of those who worked fine linen, of the house of Ashbea;"

Names & Aliases

Form Language Script Strong's
Named Hebrew שֵׁלָה H7956
Group Hebrew שֵׁלָנִי H8024