Boy Old Testament Rare
Elah
an oak; a curse; perjury
אֵלָה e.lah
Elah (Hebrew: אֵלָה, e.lah) means “an oak; a curse; perjury”, by traditional interpretation. Five men in scripture bear the name; the best attested is a king. In 2025 it was given to 33 children in the United States. Appears in the same passages as Abiram.
Which Elah?
Five men in scripture bear this name. Here is each of them.
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Elah
father of Hoshea
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Elah
son of Baasha
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Elah
father of Kenaz; son of Caleb
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Elah
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Elah
son of Uzzi
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 12 across 4 books
- Bearers
- 5 distinct people in scripture
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Divided Kingdom
Using it today
Based on 2025 births across the United States.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Given in 2025 | 33 | Steady |
| All-time total | 390 | Since records begin in 1880 |
| Peak | 33 in 2015 | Its highest year on record |
| Strongest state | FL | Highest share relative to births |
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Genesis 36:41 |
| Last appears | 1 Chronicles 9:8 |
| Cross-references | 125 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Hoshea co-occurrence Appears with Hoshea in 2 Kings 18.
- Pinon co-occurrence Appears with Pinon in Genesis 36.
- Iru co-occurrence Appears with Iru in 1 Chronicles 4.
- Jeroham co-occurrence Appears with Jeroham in 1 Chronicles 9.
- Michri co-occurrence Appears with Michri in 1 Chronicles 9.
- Naam co-occurrence Appears with Naam in 1 Chronicles 4.
- Uzzi co-occurrence Appears with Uzzi in 1 Chronicles 9.
- Shephatiah co-occurrence Appears with Shephatiah in 1 Chronicles 9.
Origin & meaning
A man of the tribe of Judah living before Israel's Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.4.15;
son of: Caleb (H3612);
brother of: Achsah (H5915), Iru (H5900) and Naam (H5277);
father of: Kenaz (H7073J)
§ Elah = "An oak"
Elah was a son of Caleb and the father of Kenaz.
The biblical story
Elah is mentioned in 1Ch.4.15 as one of the sons of Caleb, along with Iru, Naam, and Kenaz. Elah is specifically noted as the father of Kenaz. Caleb was a prominent figure in the Bible, one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to explore Canaan, and one of only two spies (along with Joshua) who brought back a positive report.
Key verses
Elah appears in 1 verse. Here are some of the most notable:
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And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh; Iru, Elah, and Naam: and the sons of Elah, even Kenaz.
1 Chronicles 4:15
Show all 1 reference
1 Chronicles (1)
- 1 Chronicles 4:15