Who was Jahath in the Bible?

Jahath was a descendant of Judah, listed as the son of Reaiah and a grandson of Shobal (1 Chronicles 4:2). He is part of a genealogical record, showing his place within the tribe of Judah.

Why is Jahath mentioned in the Bible?

Jahath is mentioned to establish the lineage of the tribe of Judah, which was the royal line from which King David and, ultimately, Jesus Christ descended. His inclusion helps trace the fulfillment of God's promises to Judah (Genesis 49:10).

Are there any stories or key events about Jahath?

No specific stories or events about Jahath are recorded in the Bible. His mention is solely genealogical, serving to connect the family line within the chronicles of Judah (1 Chronicles 4:1-2).

Jahath

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleSon

Jahath was the son of Reaiah and a descendant of Judah through Shobal (1Ch.4.2).

Jahath

Biography

Jahath was a descendant of Judah through the line of Shobal, identified in 1 Chronicles 4:2 as the son of Reaiah and the father of Ahumai and Lahad. He belongs to the genealogical register of Judahite clans associated with the town of Zorah, a settlement that would later be famous as the home of Samson (Judges 13:2). The genealogy in which Jahath appears connects to the families of the Zorathites, indicating he was an ancestor of one of the recognized clans of Judah in the Sorek Valley region. While no narrative account accompanies his name, his precise placement in the tribal genealogy of Judah reflects the careful record-keeping by which the Chronicler preserved the identity of Israel's most significant tribe.

Significance

Jahath's place in the Judahite genealogy of 1 Chronicles 4 carries significance within the broader context of that tribe's theological primacy in Israel's story. Judah was the tribe through which the Davidic dynasty and ultimately the Messiah would come, and the Chronicler's detailed records of its clans served to establish and preserve the tribal identity upon which those promises rested. Jahath as an ancestor of the Zorathite clan represents a branch of Judah's family tree rooted in the geographical heartland of the tribe. His inclusion reminds readers that Israel's covenant history was not an abstraction but was embedded in real families, real places, and real communities whose recorded names the Holy Spirit saw fit to preserve.

Authority Records

Wikidata

FatherLibni

Verse Appearances (1)

1Chr

1Chr 4:2

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]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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