Who was Shammai in the Bible?

Shammai was the son of Onam and the father of Nadab and Abishur. He is mentioned in the genealogical records of Judah as a descendant of Jerahmeel, the son of Hezron (1 Chronicles 2:28, 32).

Why is Shammai mentioned in the Bible?

Shammai's significance is primarily genealogical, as his inclusion helps trace the lineage of the tribe of Judah. His mention establishes the family line of Jerahmeel, which was important for tribal and inheritance records in ancient Israel.

What key events involved Shammai?

The Bible records no specific events in Shammai's life. His role is entirely within the context of family lineage, listing him as a father and a link in the chain of descendants from Judah (1 Chronicles 2:28-32).

Shammai

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleSonFather

Shammai, the son of Onam, was the father of Nadab and Abishur, who were descendants of Jerahmeel, the son of Hezron.

Shammai

Biography

Shammai, son of Onam, belonged to the Jerahmeelite branch of the tribe of Judah and is recorded in the genealogical register of 1 Chronicles 2:28. He fathered Nadab and Abishur, thereby continuing the Jerahmeelite line, which traced its ancestry back through Jerahmeel, the firstborn of Hezron, and ultimately to Judah himself. Onam was a son of Jerahmeel by his first wife, positioning Shammai within the senior branch of this extended clan. While the Chronicles genealogies provide little narrative detail about Shammai himself, his role as father of named descendants indicates he was regarded as a significant link in the chain of Judah's tribal continuity.

Significance

Shammai's place in the Jerahmeelite genealogy of 1 Chronicles 2 reflects the theological conviction that Israel's tribal heritage was worth preserving in meticulous detail. The genealogies of Chronicles were compiled with post-exilic Israel in mind, serving as documentary evidence that God had not abandoned his covenant promises to Judah despite the catastrophe of exile. Each named ancestor affirmed the unbroken chain of descent through which God's covenant blessings were transmitted. Shammai's fatherhood of Nadab and Abishur demonstrates that faithfulness expressed through family life and generational continuity is itself a form of participation in God's ongoing redemptive purposes.

Authority Records

Wikidata

FatherOnamChildAbishurChildNadabSiblingJada

Verse Appearances (2)

1Chr

1Chr 2:28 1Chr 2:32

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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