יָדָע (ya.da)
ya.da
Jada
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Yada means "he knows" or "the knowing." It appears only twice in the Bible, both times in the genealogies of 1 Chronicles. In these lists, it identifies a specific man from the tribe of Judah who lived during the period of the divided monarchy.
Yada is recorded as the son of Onam and the brother of Shammai. He is also noted as the father of Jether and Jonathan. The name reflects a common Hebrew naming pattern where parents chose names that described a characteristic or expressed a theological truth about God’s nature.
While the verb yada (to know) is frequent in Scripture, this proper noun is rare. Its presence in the genealogies highlights the importance of lineage and identity in Israel’s history. The name serves as a reminder that even individuals mentioned briefly in family records are part of God’s broader story.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Yada, meaning "he knows," appears in the genealogies of 1 Chronicles as a son of Onam and brother of Shammai. While this specific individual is mentioned only briefly, his name reflects a deep Hebrew understanding that knowledge is relational and central to identity. In ancient Israel, knowing someone meant sharing life with them, not just possessing information.
Seeing names like Yada in Scripture reminds us that every person in God’s family has a place in His story. Even those listed only in records of lineage are known fully by the Lord. This offers comfort: you are seen and remembered by name, just as these ancestors were preserved in the biblical text.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ Jada1×
- Jada1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יָדָע֙1×
- וְ/יָדָ֑ע1×
Key Verses
-
I Chronicles 2:28
The sons of Onam were Shammai and Jada. The sons of Shammai: Nadab and Abishur.
This verse establishes Yada’s immediate family ties, showing how his identity is rooted in his lineage as a son of Onam.
-
I Chronicles 2:32
The sons of Jada the brother of Shammai: Jether and Jonathan; and Jether died without children.
Here Yada is identified as the brother of Shammai and father of Jether and Jonathan, highlighting his role in continuing the family line.