Dictionaries :: Bela; Belah

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

Bela; Belah:

be'-la (bela‘, "destruction"; the King James Version Belah, Ge 46:21):

(1) Bela, the son of Beor, was the first king of Edom previous to the kingdom of Israel and reigned in the city of Dinhabah (Ge 36:32 f; 1Ch 1:43 f). Septuagint Codex Alexandrinus, Balak.

(2) Bela, the firstborn son of Benjamin (Ge 46:21; 1Ch 7:6 f; 1Ch 8:1). He was the head of the family of the Belaites (Nu 26:38), the father of Addar (called Ard, Nu 26:40), Gera, Abihud, Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, Gera, Shephuphan (compare Shephupham, Nu 26:39), Huram (1Ch 8:3-5; Nu 26:40).

(3) Bela, a son of Azaz, of the tribe of Reuben, was a man of great power and wealth. His possessions reached from Nebo to the Euphrates (1Ch 5:8 ff).

Written by Arthur L. Breslich