Imrah is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Imrah was a descendant of Asher, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, and he is named in the tribal genealogies recorded in 1 Chronicles. His father was Zophah, and he is listed among Zophah’s sons in 1 Chronicles 7:36: “The sons of Zophah; Suah, and Harnepher, and Shual, and Beri, and Imrah.” This places him within the broader family record of the tribe of Asher, which the chronicler traces through several generations.
The setting of Imrah’s appearance is a genealogy, not a narrative. The book of 1 Chronicles opens with extensive genealogical material, establishing the lineage of Israel’s tribes and, in particular, the line of Judah and David, before moving into the history of David’s reign. The Asherite genealogy in chapter 7 records the descendants of Asher’s sons and their families, including the line of Zophah. Imrah is one of several brothers or kinsmen named in that record.
Scripture says nothing else about Imrah. No deed, occupation, or event in his life is recorded. He appears once in the King James Bible, in this single list of names. What is known of him is simply that he belonged to the tribe of Asher and to the household of Zophah, and that his name was preserved in Israel’s family records. His inclusion in the genealogy testifies that he was counted among the people of Israel, even though the details of his life remain hidden.
The Name
The Hebrew name Imrah (עִמְרָה) is not clearly defined in the text, and its meaning is not well established. Some have connected it to a root suggesting “word” or “speech,” but this is uncertain and not firmly recoverable from the name as it appears here. Because Scripture gives no interpretation of the name and the etymology is debated, no confident meaning can be stated. It is better to acknowledge that the meaning is obscure than to assign one that the text does not support.
A Closing Thought
Most of us will never be remembered in a history book. Imrah’s entire recorded life is a single name in a long list—yet God saw fit to preserve it. This is a quiet comfort: the Lord does not measure a life by how much of it is written down. He knows His people by name, even those whose stories are hidden from us. Imrah belonged to Israel, and that was enough. In the same way, belonging to God’s family is the one thing that truly lasts, whether or not the world ever takes notice of us.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 7:36 — The sons of Zophah; Suah, and Harnepher, and Shual, and Beri, and Imrah,