Who was Atarah in the Bible?

Atarah was the wife of Jerahmeel, a descendant of Judah, and the mother of Onam. She is mentioned only once in the Bible within a genealogical record (1 Chronicles 2:26).

Why is Atarah mentioned in the Bible?

Atarah is included to preserve the lineage of the tribe of Judah, showing the continuation of the family line through her son Onam. Her mention highlights how God values and records individuals within His covenant family, even with limited details.

What can we learn from Atarah's story?

While few details are given, Atarah's inclusion reminds us that every person, no matter how briefly mentioned, has a place in God's plan. Her role as a wife and mother contributed to the preservation of Judah's lineage, which ultimately leads to King David and Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:3).

Atarah

Old TestamentUnited MonarchyFemaleWifeMother

Atarah was the wife of Jerahmeel and the mother of Onam, mentioned in the genealogy of Judah (1 Chr 2:26).

Atarah

Biography

Atarah was a woman from the tribe of Judah who served as the second wife of Jerahmeel, a great-grandson of Judah through Perez and Hezron (1 Chr 2:26). She is identified specifically as the mother of Onam, one of Jerahmeel's sons, distinguishing her children from those of Jerahmeel's first wife, Ahinoam (1 Chr 2:25-26). The Chronicler's careful notation of both wives and their respective children reflects the importance of maternal lineage in determining tribal subclans within Judah. Her name, Atarah, means "crown" in Hebrew, an evocative name suggesting honor or dignity. Beyond her genealogical mention, no narrative account survives of her life or character, yet her son Onam's line continued within the Jerahmeelite branch of Judah's tribal family.

Significance

Atarah exemplifies the way Scripture honors women within genealogical records, even when their stories are reduced to a single verse. Her name meaning "crown" may reflect the high regard in which she was held within her family. More broadly, Atarah's mention in 1 Chronicles 2:26 is part of the Chronicler's extended genealogy of Judah, the royal tribe from which Israel's kings, and ultimately the Messiah, would descend. Every maternal figure preserved in this genealogy contributes to the remarkable providential chain of lineage that runs through Judah to David and beyond. Atarah's inclusion reminds readers that the covenant community is built not only by patriarchs and kings, but equally by women whose faithfulness in family life sustains the generations.

Verse Appearances (1)

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 2:26

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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