Shelah

The Meaning & Origin of the Name Shelah

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Detailed Information About The Name Shelah

The name 'Shelah' is a Hebrew name of biblical origins. In the Old Testament, Shelah is primarily known as the third son of Judah and the great-grandson of Jacob. Shelah's mother was a Canaanite woman named Shua, who married Judah after the deaths of his two elder sons. The name Shelah means "petition" or "prayer" in Hebrew. Shelah appears in the book of Genesis as a significant figure in the genealogy of the Israelite tribes.

According to the biblical narrative, Shelah had two older brothers, Er and Onan. Er was married to Tamar, but he died prematurely because of his wickedness, leaving Tamar widowed. In accordance with the ancient Hebrew custom of levirate marriage, Judah asked his second son, Onan, to fulfill his duty and father a child with Tamar in Er's name. However, Onan refused, and he too died. Judah promised Tamar that she would marry Shelah once he grew older and could fulfill his duty, but Judah did not keep his promise.

As a result, Tamar took matters into her own hands. She disguised herself as a prostitute and seduced Judah, eventually becoming pregnant with twins. When Judah discovered Tamar's pregnancy, he acknowledged his wrongdoing and declared that Tamar was more righteous than him. Tamar gave birth to twins, Perez and Zerah, who became important figures in the tribe of Judah. Shelah, however, faded into the background of biblical narratives after this event and his descendants are not explicitly mentioned in subsequent records.

In modern times, the name Shelah is still occasionally used as a given name. It carries the historical and biblical significance of coming from a prominent lineage, but it is relatively uncommon compared to other biblical names that have maintained their popularity over the centuries.