Shiza is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Shiza appears in Scripture only once, in the genealogical roll of David’s mighty warriors recorded in 1 Chronicles 11:42. He is identified there not by his own deeds but as the father of Adina, a Reubenite who is named among the warriors who came to David. The text reads, “Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him.” This places Shiza within the tribe of Reuben, the firstborn of Jacob, whose territory lay east of the Jordan River.
The setting of this list is the establishment of David’s kingdom. First Chronicles 11 recounts the men who stood with David, first at Ziklag and later at Hebron, when he was made king over all Israel. These were the elite fighters, the “mighty men,” whose loyalty and strength helped secure David’s throne. Within that company, Adina is specifically noted as a captain of the Reubenites, and he brought thirty men with him.
Shiza himself is not described as a warrior in the text, nor is any deed of his recorded. He is remembered through his son. What Scripture says of him is simply this: he was the father of a captain among David’s mighty men, a man of Reuben whose son rose to lead others in the service of Israel’s king. His legacy is bound up in the next generation’s faithfulness.
The Name
The name Shiza is a Hebrew name, but its meaning is not clearly recoverable from the biblical text or from the standard lexical sources. Various suggestions have been offered by scholars, but none is well established enough to state with confidence. Unlike names such as “David” (beloved) or “Samuel” (heard of God), Shiza does not carry a meaning that Scripture or reliable tradition makes plain. It is better to say honestly that the meaning of this name is uncertain than to assign it a meaning it may not bear.
A Closing Thought
Shiza never speaks a word in Scripture, and no exploit of his is recorded. Yet his name is preserved forever in the Bible because his son Adina became a captain in David’s service. There is a quiet encouragement here for every parent whose own life seems hidden and unremarkable: faithfulness in raising a child can echo in ways we never see. Shiza’s story reminds us that God remembers not only the mighty men, but also the fathers who shaped them.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 11:42 — Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,