Bunah is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Bunah was one of the sons of Jerahmeel, who was the firstborn of Hezron and a descendant of Judah. He appears only once in the King James Bible, in the genealogy recorded in 1 Chronicles 2:25. The passage reads: “And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were, Ram the firstborn, and Bunah, and Oren, and Ozem, and Ahijah.” Bunah is listed second among Jerahmeel’s sons, after Ram the firstborn and before Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah.
This listing places Bunah within the larger tribal record of Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The genealogies of 1 Chronicles trace the family lines of the people of Israel, particularly the tribe of Judah, from which King David came. Jerahmeel’s line is one of several branches descending from Hezron, who was a grandson of Judah through Perez. These records helped establish tribal identity, inheritance rights, and the historical continuity of God’s covenant people after the return from exile.
Scripture records nothing else about Bunah. No actions, words, or events are attributed to him. He is known only as a name in a family list—one son among five born to Jerahmeel. Yet his inclusion in the inspired record means he was counted among the people of Judah, a member of the lineage through which God’s purposes for Israel and, ultimately, for the world would unfold.
The Name
The Hebrew name Bunah (בּוּנָה) is rare, appearing only here in the Old Testament. Its meaning is not clearly established, and scholars have offered no firm consensus. Some suggest a possible connection to a root meaning “to understand” or “to be discerning,” which could yield a sense like “understanding” or “intelligence,” while others propose a link to a root meaning “to build” or “to be firm.” Because the name is so uncommon and the etymology uncertain, no meaning can be stated with confidence. It is best to acknowledge plainly that the meaning of Bunah is not clearly recoverable from the Hebrew text.
A Closing Thought
Bunah’s life is summed up in a single line of a genealogy—a name among names, with no deeds or words recorded. Most of us will not be remembered by history books or monuments. Yet Bunah was known to God, numbered among His people, and included in the record of the family through whom the Savior would come. Faithfulness does not require fame. The quiet, unnamed lives of ordinary believers are held in the same hands that guided the generations before us, and every name written in God’s book matters far more than any name written in the world’s.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 2:25 — And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were, Ram the firstborn, and Bunah, and Oren, and Ozem, and Ahijah.