Atarah is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Atarah was one of the wives of Jerahmeel, a man of the tribe of Judah whose family line is recorded in the genealogies of 1 Chronicles. Jerahmeel was the firstborn of Hezron, and his descendants are listed among the clans of Judah. Atarah is introduced in that record as “another wife” of Jerahmeel, distinguishing her from his earlier wife, who is also named in the passage. She is identified specifically as the mother of Onam.
The setting of her appearance is a genealogy, not a narrative. The Chronicler is concerned with preserving the family lines of Judah after the return from exile, showing how the tribes and clans were connected. Within that record, Atarah is named only once, in 1 Chronicles 2:26: “Jerahmeel had also another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam.” Beyond this single verse, Scripture says nothing else about her—nothing of her background, her character, or her later life.
What Scripture does say of her is that she bore a son, Onam, who continued the line of Jerahmeel. Her inclusion in the genealogy means she was remembered as part of the family heritage of Judah. She appears briefly, in a list, yet she is named—a wife and mother whose place in the record of God’s people was preserved.
The Name
The name Atarah is a Hebrew name, and its meaning is well established. It is derived from the Hebrew word *atarah*, which means “crown” or “diadem.” The same word is used elsewhere in the Old Testament for a crown or ornamental headdress. Thus the name carries the sense of “crowned” or “a crown.” Unlike many names in Scripture whose meanings are uncertain or debated, this one is clearly recoverable from the Hebrew vocabulary.
A Closing Thought
Atarah’s story is told in a single verse, yet God saw fit to record her name among the families of His people. Most of us will never be famous or remembered by many, but faithfulness in ordinary roles—as a wife, a mother, a member of a family line—matters to God. He does not overlook the quiet lives that carry His purposes forward from one generation to the next. Atarah, whose name means “crown,” reminds us that worth in God’s sight is not measured by how much is written about us, but by the place we hold in His unfolding story.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 2:26 — Jerahmeel had also another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam.