Who was Imna in the Bible?

Imna was a descendant of Asher, listed in the genealogy of the tribe of Asher found in the Old Testament. He is mentioned as one of the sons of Asher in 1 Chronicles 7:30, 35.

What is the significance of Imna in the Bible?

Imna's significance lies in his role as a named link in the genealogical record of the tribe of Asher, which preserved the lineage and identity of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. These records were crucial for establishing tribal heritage and land inheritance.

What key events was Imna involved in?

The Bible does not record any specific events in Imna's life. His only mention is within the genealogical list, indicating his place in the family line of the tribe of Asher (1 Chronicles 7:30, 35).

Imna

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleSon of hotham

Imna was a descendant of Asher, mentioned in the genealogy of the tribe of Asher in 1 Chronicles.

Imna

Biography

Imna was a member of the tribe of Asher, recorded in 1 Chronicles 7:35 as one of the sons of Hotham (also written Helem), and thus a grandson of Asher's descendant Heber. The genealogy of Asher in 1 Chronicles 7:30–40 traces the tribal lineage from the patriarch Asher himself through successive generations, culminating in a list of warriors and tribal leaders. Imna's name appears within a cluster of brothers, Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal, all sons of Helem. The tribal territory of Asher occupied the northwestern coastal region of Canaan, renowned for its fertile land and proximity to Phoenician commerce. Imna's place in this genealogy associates him with a tribe celebrated for its material abundance (Genesis 49:20).

Significance

Imna's mention in the Asherite genealogy, though brief, participates in the Chronicler's larger theological project of demonstrating the continuity and integrity of all twelve tribes across Israel's history. Written in the aftermath of exile, 1 Chronicles affirmed that God had not abandoned any of the tribal families he had constituted as his people. The tribe of Asher, to which Imna belonged, carries its own redemptive significance: the prophetess Anna, who recognized the infant Jesus in the temple and announced his coming to all who awaited Israel's redemption, was from the tribe of Asher (Luke 2:36–38). Imna's genealogical line thus stands, however distantly, in the heritage that produced one of the first witnesses to the Messiah.

Verse Appearances (1)

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 7:35

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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