Shelah שֶׁ֫לַח
Son of Arpachshad and ancestor of Abraham
Who is Shelah in the Bible?
Shelah was the son of Arpachshad and a key figure in the early genealogies of humanity listed in Genesis 10:24 and Genesis 11:12-15. According to these accounts, he was born when his father Arpachshad was 35 years old and lived for 433 years, making him part of the long-lived antediluvian lineage. Shelah served as an ancestor of Abraham and appears in the genealogical records of Genesis, 1 Chronicles 1:18 and 1:24, and Luke 3:35-36, though Luke's genealogy lists him differently as the son of Cainan rather than directly of Arpachshad. His significance lies in his role as a crucial link in the genealogical chain connecting humanity's earliest ancestors to Abraham and ultimately to Jesus Christ.
Biography
Shelah was the son of Arpachshad (or Arphaxad) and the grandson of Shem, according to Gen.10.24 and Gen.11.12. He was born when Arpachshad was 35 years old and lived for 433 years (Gen.11.12-15). Shelah was an ancestor of Abraham and is included in the genealogies of Genesis 10, 11, and 1 Chronicles 1.
In Luke's genealogy of Jesus, Shelah is mentioned as the son of Cainan, who was the son of Arpachshad (Luk.3.35-36). This differs from the Old Testament genealogies, which list Shelah as the son of Arpachshad. The reason for this discrepancy is uncertain, but it may reflect variant traditions or textual issues.
Family
In Scripture
3 biblical books ; 2 with study contentGenesis 5 verses
- Genesis 10:24
"Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 11:12
"When Arphaxad was 35 years old, he became the father of Shelah."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 11:13
"And after he had become the father of Shelah, Arphaxad lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 11:14
"When Shelah was 30 years old, he became the father of Eber."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 11:15
"And after he had become the father of Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and had other sons and daughters."
Study Genesis →
1 Chronicles 2 verses
- 1 Chronicles 1:18
"Arphaxad was the father of Shelah, and Shelah was the father of Eber."
- 1 Chronicles 1:24
"So from Shem came Arphaxad, Shelah,"
Luke 1 verse
- Luke 3:35
"the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,"
Study Luke →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | שֶׁ֫לַח |
| Greek | Greek | Σαλά |
Shelah
/ref>,26; 46:12; Nu 26:20 (16); 1Ch 2:3; 4:21). He gave his name to the family of the Shelanites (Nu 26:20 (16)). Probably "the Shelanite" should be substituted for "the Shilonite" of Ne 11:5; 1Ch 9:5.
(2) (shelach): The son or (Septuagint) grandson of Arpachshad and father of Eber (Ge 10:24; 11:13 (12),14,15; 1Ch 1:18,24; Lu 3:35).
(3) Ne 3:15 = "Shiloah" of Isa 8:6.
See SILOAM.
she'-lan-its, she-la'-nits.
See SHELAH.
shel-e-mi'-a, she-lem'-ya (shelemyah; Codex Vaticanus Selemia, Codex Alexandrinus (Selemia