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Bela

בֶּ֫לַע

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Bela (Hebrew: בֶּ֫לַע) is a biblical name; its Hebrew etymology is not securely established. Three men in scripture bear the name; the best attested belongs to the Patriarchal period. In 2025 it was given to 21 children in the United States. Around 1,295 Americans have been given it since 1880. Appears with Abihud in 1 Chronicles 8.

Merged person graphTIPNR + BibleData

Which Bela?

Three men in scripture bear this name. Here is each of them.

  1. Bela

    Patriarchal · tribe of Benjamin · 7 verses

    son of Benjamin

  2. Bela

    Patriarchal · king · 4 verses

    son of Beor

  3. Bela

    Divided Kingdom · tribe of Reuben · 1 verse

    son of Azaz

TIPNR + BibleDataSSA · public domain

Scripture against society

The two measures, side by side

Concordance Depth Index 57.5 · rank 338
US usage today rank 5,722 · 21 births in 2025
1912 — 2025 · share per 100,000 births
TIPNR + BibleDataSTEPBible · CC BY

At a glance

Verses
12 across 3 books
Bearers
3 distinct people in scripture
Testament
Old
Era
Patriarchal
SSA · public domainBirths in year

Using it today

Very unlikely to share a classroom with another.
Based on 2025 births across the United States.
MeasureValueReading
Given in 2025 21 Steady
All-time total1,295 Since records begin in 1880
Peak 49 in 2008 Its highest year on record
Strongest stateCA Highest share relative to births
Merged person graph12 verse pairs

In scripture

FactDetail
First appearsGenesis 36:32
Last appears1 Chronicles 8:3
Cross-references80 linked passages
Computed · A2/A3Rationale generated

Names connected to this one

  • Ard co-occurrence Appears with Ard in 1 Chronicles 8.
  • Ahiram co-occurrence Appears with Ahiram in Genesis 46.
  • Ashbel co-occurrence Appears with Ashbel in Genesis 46.
  • Beor co-occurrence Appears with Beor in 1 Chronicles 1.
  • Gera co-occurrence Appears with Gera in 1 Chronicles 8.
  • Zerah co-occurrence Appears with Zerah in 1 Chronicles 1.
  • Naaman co-occurrence Appears with Naaman in Genesis 46.
  • Becher co-occurrence Appears with Becher in Genesis 46.

Origin & meaning

Strong's number H1106H
Hebrew בֶּ֫לַע

Bela, a descendant of Reuben, was the son of Azaz

The biblical story

Bela is briefly mentioned in 1Ch.5.8 as a member of the tribe of Reuben. He is described as the son of Azaz. The context of the passage is the genealogy of the tribe of Reuben, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The mention of Bela serves to establish his place within the Reubenite lineage and to highlight the importance of family records in Israelite society.

Key verses

Bela appears in 1 verse. Here are some of the most notable:

  1. And Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who dwelt in Aroer, even unto Nebo and Baal–meon:

    1 Chronicles 5:8
Show all 1 reference

1 Chronicles (1)

  • 1 Chronicles 5:8