Shelah

This name belongs to two men in the family lists. The first is Judah’s youngest son, whom Judah promised to his widowed daughter-in-law Tamar and then held back, afraid “Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did.” Later Judah admitted, “She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son.” The second Shelah, spelled Salah in Genesis 11 and Sala in Luke 3, stands in the line of Shem and “begat Eber.” Genesis 38 tells the first story in full, and the rest are only names.

15 verses

Genesis

Genesis 10:24

And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.

Genesis 11:12

And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah:

Genesis 11:13

And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 11:14

And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber:

Genesis 11:15

And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.

Genesis 38:5

And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.

Genesis 38:11

Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.

Genesis 38:14

And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.

Genesis 38:26

And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.

Genesis 46:12

And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zerah: but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul.

Numbers

Numbers 26:20

And the sons of Judah after their families were; of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites: of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites.

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 1:18

And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber.

1 Chronicles 1:24

Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah,

1 Chronicles 2:3

The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born unto him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the LORD; and he slew him.

Luke

Luke 3:35

Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

Petition. (1.) Judah’s third son (Gen. 38:2, 5, 11, 14).

(2.) A son of Arphaxad (1 Chr. 1:18).

From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(a petition).

(1.) The youngest son of Judah. (Genesis 38:5,11,14,26; 46:10; Numbers 26:20; 1 Chronicles 2:3; 4:21) (B.C. before 1706.)

(2.) The proper form of the name of Salah. (1 Chronicles 1:18,24)

Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Dictionary entries from Easton's Bible Dictionary and Smith's Bible Dictionary. Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.