Who was Jaroah in the Bible?

Jaroah was a member of the tribe of Gad, identified as the son of Gilead and a descendant of the patriarch Gad. He is mentioned only in a genealogical record within the Old Testament (1 Chronicles 5:14).

Why is Jaroah mentioned in the Bible?

Jaroah is listed to preserve the genealogical record of the tribe of Gad, establishing their lineage and inheritance in the Transjordan region. His inclusion helps trace the family lines important for tribal identity and land claims.

What is significant about Jaroah being a Gadite?

As a Gadite, Jaroah was part of one of the twelve tribes of Israel that settled east of the Jordan River, known for being valiant warriors. His genealogy connects him to the larger story of Israel's settlement in the Promised Land (Numbers 32:1-5, 33).

Jaroah

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleSon

Jaroah was a Gadite, the son of Gilead, mentioned in a genealogy.

Jaroah

Biography

Jaroah was a member of the tribe of Gad, listed as the son of Gilead in the genealogy preserved in 1 Chronicles 5:14. He is placed within the genealogical chain of Gadite tribal families who settled in Bashan and the Transjordanian region. The Chronicler records the descendants of Gad with attention to their territorial claims east of the Jordan River, noting their military prowess and their settlement extending from Bashan to Salcah and neighboring areas. Jaroah's name appears to derive from a Hebrew root related to the moon or a lunar month, though certainty about its precise meaning remains elusive. Like many individuals preserved only in genealogical lists, Jaroah's recorded existence testifies to the Chronicler's thoroughness in documenting all of Israel's tribal heritage during the era of the Divided Monarchy.

Significance

Jaroah, though known only from a single genealogical notice in 1 Chronicles 5:14, contributes to the Chronicler's overarching theological purpose of demonstrating that all twelve tribes of Israel, including the Transjordanian tribe of Gad, maintained a continuous identity as the covenant people of God. The genealogies of Gad in 1 Chronicles 5 affirm that those who settled east of the Jordan were no less legitimate members of Israel than those in the west. For the post-exilic community reading Chronicles, such genealogical documentation provided assurance of divine faithfulness to all of Israel's tribal families. Jaroah's place in the record is a small but meaningful thread in the larger tapestry of God's unbroken covenant relationship with his people across generations of history.

Verse Appearances (1)

1Chr

1Chr 5:14

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]

View all sources & licensing →

See our editorial standards →

Content compiled from public domain scholarship, academic sources, and verified references. Editorial standards · View all sources