דָּרַע
Dara, an Israelite
Definition
Dara is a proper name referring to an individual listed in the genealogy of Judah. He is identified as a son of Zerah, who was a son of Judah and Tamar (1 Chronicles 2:6). The name appears only in this single biblical instance. As a genealogical entry, the name serves to establish lineage within the tribe of Judah, connecting later generations back to the patriarch.
Biblical Usage
The word is used exclusively as a proper noun in 1 Chronicles 2:6, within a genealogical list. It functions solely to identify a specific individual in the lineage of Judah's son Zerah. There are no other usages or contextual patterns, as it is a single-occurrence name.
Etymology
The name Dara (דָּרַע, Dâraʻ) is likely a contracted or shortened form of the name Darda (דַּרְדַּע, H1862), who is mentioned elsewhere as a noted wise man (1 Kings 4:31). The root may relate to the Hebrew for 'pearl' or 'shellfish' (דַּר, dar), but the exact derivation and meaning of the contracted form remain uncertain.
Semantic Range
As a name in a genealogical record, Dara represents the Israelite cultural practice of meticulously preserving family lineages, which was crucial for establishing tribal identity, inheritance rights, and priestly or royal descent. The contraction of the name from Darda may reflect a common naming variation or scribal practice.
Darda (Dardʻa, H1862) — A wise man, likely the fuller form of the name from which Dara is contracted.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →