Lexical Summary Ladah: Ladah Original Word: לַעְדָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Laadah From an unused root of uncertain meaning; Ladah, an Israelite -- Laadah. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a man of Judah NASB Translation Laadah (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs לַעְדָּה proper name, masculine a man of Judah 1 Chronicles 4:21, ᵐ5 Μαδαθ, A Ααδα, ᵐ5L Λαδηι. Topical Lexicon Biblical Context Laadah is mentioned once in Scripture, within the genealogical record of Judah in 1 Chronicles 4 (verse 21). The verse reads, “The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the clans of the linen workers at Beth-ashbea” (Berean Standard Bible). By locating him among the descendants of Shelah—Judah’s third son—Chronicles highlights Laadah as a legitimate member of the covenant people and participant in Judah’s territorial and occupational heritage. Genealogical Setting 1 Chronicles 4 traces several sub-families of Judah that settled in the Shephelah (lowland) region. Laadah is identified as “the father of Mareshah,” probably meaning the founder or patriarch of the clan that occupied the town of Mareshah. His immediate relatives are artisans: “the clans of the linen workers.” The inspired chronicler therefore preserves Laadah’s name not simply to maintain an ancestral roll but to connect this Judahite branch with its God-given vocation in Israel’s economy. Mareshah and the Shephelah Mareshah lay in the Judean foothills, south-west of modern Bethlehem and near Lachish. It controlled key trade routes between the coastal plain and the Judean highlands. Archaeological work at Tel Maresha shows continuous occupation from the Iron Age through the Hellenistic period, confirming the site’s longevity and strategic value. By referring to Laadah as the progenitor of Mareshah, Scripture roots the town’s origins in Judahite settlement and underscores the tribe’s expansion into productive borderlands. Occupational Significance The passage ties Laadah’s line to “the linen workers” (Hebrew: *beged shesh* craftsmen). Linen was prized for priestly garments (Exodus 28 39-42), royal dress (Proverbs 31 22), and high-quality trade goods (Ezekiel 27 7). Chronicles therefore records that a Judahite clan, stemming from Laadah, supplied skilled artisans whose labor supported both worship and commerce. Their identity as workmen “in the service of the king” (1 Chronicles 4 23) shows that vocational excellence and covenant faithfulness were intertwined in Judah’s society. Theological Themes 1. Covenant Continuity: Laadah’s solitary mention serves the chronicler’s larger purpose—demonstrating the preservation of Judah’s tribal lines after the exile. Even obscure names witness to God’s faithfulness to Abrahamic promises (Genesis 17 7). Practical Ministry Applications • Every member counts: Pastors and teachers can point to Laadah to show that God records and honors even the least-known saints. Summary Laadah, though mentioned only once, anchors a Judahite clan to a specific town, vocation, and role within Israel’s history. His brief appearance in 1 Chronicles 4 points to divine faithfulness, the sanctity of labor, and the intricate tapestry of lives God wove together to bring forth the Messiah. Forms and Transliterations וְלַעְדָּ֖ה ולעדה velaDah wə·la‘·dāh wəla‘dāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 4:21 HEB: אֲבִ֣י לֵכָ֔ה וְלַעְדָּ֖ה אֲבִ֣י מָרֵשָׁ֑ה NAS: of Lecah and Laadah the father KJV: of Lecah, and Laadah the father INT: the father of Lecah and Laadah the father of Mareshah 1 Occurrence |
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