יָדָע
Jada, an Israelite
Definition
Jada is a proper name of an Israelite man mentioned in the genealogical records of the tribe of Judah. He appears as a son of Onam and the brother of Shammai in 1 Chronicles 2:28, 32. As a name, it derives from the Hebrew verb meaning 'to know,' and thus likely carried the sense of 'He knows' or 'The knowing one.' The biblical text provides no narrative about his life, only his placement within the lineage of Jerahmeel, establishing his familial and tribal identity.
Biblical Usage
The name Jada is used exclusively in the genealogical lists of 1 Chronicles, specifically in chapter 2. It appears twice, solely to identify his position in the family tree of Judah through the line of Jerahmeel (1 Chronicles 2:28, 32). There are no narrative stories or other contextual uses of this name in the Old Testament.
Etymology
Jada (יָדָע) is derived directly from the common Hebrew verb yādaʿ (H3045), which means 'to know,' 'to perceive,' or 'to recognize.' As a proper name, it is a participle form meaning 'the one who knows' or 'he knows,' functioning similarly to other Hebrew names that are statements about God's character (e.g., Eliyahu, 'My God is Yahweh').
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often significant and descriptive. A name like Jada, meaning 'He knows,' may have reflected a parental hope or acknowledgment of God's omniscience in the child's life. Its use solely in a genealogy highlights the importance of preserving family lineage and tribal identity for inheritance rights and social standing within the community.
yādaʿ (H3045) — The root verb meaning 'to know,' from which the name Jada is derived.
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.
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