Laadah is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Laadah was a descendant of Judah, belonging to the line of Shelah, Judah’s son. He is mentioned only once in the King James Bible, in the genealogical records of the tribe of Judah found in 1 Chronicles 4:21. The passage reads: “The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were, Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of them that wrought fine linen, of the house of Ashbea.”
From this single verse, we learn that Laadah was the father of Mareshah. This likely indicates that he was the founder or ancestral head of a settlement or family group associated with the town of Mareshah, a place later known in the territory of Judah. The genealogies in 1 Chronicles were compiled to document the tribal heritage of Israel after the Babylonian exile, giving returning families a record of their roots and their place within the covenant community. Laadah’s mention serves to connect a particular branch of Shelah’s descendants to a specific location and lineage.
Scripture records nothing further about Laadah’s life, character, or deeds. He appears only as a name in a list, a link in a chain stretching from Judah through Shelah to later generations. Yet his inclusion in the inspired record shows that he was counted among the people of God, and his name was preserved as part of the heritage of Judah.
The Name
The Hebrew name Laadah (לַעְדָּה) is not one whose meaning is clearly established. Suggested possibilities have been offered by various scholars, but none is sufficiently certain to state with confidence. The name may be related to a root suggesting “order” or “arrangement,” but this is speculative. What can be said plainly is that the meaning of this name is not clearly recoverable from the biblical text or from reliable lexical sources. It is better to acknowledge this honestly than to assign a meaning that cannot be substantiated.
A Closing Thought
Most of us will never be remembered in a genealogy, let alone in Scripture. Laadah’s entire legacy in the Bible is one verse—a name, a father, a son, and a place. Yet that was enough. He played his part in the long story of Judah, and God saw fit to record it. Faithfulness does not require fame. The quiet generations who simply lived, raised families, and belonged to God’s people are not forgotten by Him. Our names may never appear in a book, but they are written on His heart.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 4:21 — The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were, Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of them that wrought fine linen, of the house of Ashbea,