Meonothai is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Meonothai was a descendant of Judah whose name appears in the genealogical records of the tribe of Judah in 1 Chronicles. He is mentioned only once in the King James Bible, in 1 Chronicles 4:14, where the text reads, “And Meonothai begat Ophrah: and Seraiah begat Joab, the father of the valley of Charashim; for they were craftsmen.” The passage places him within a larger record of Judah’s descendants, a genealogy that traces families, settlements, and trades across the generations.
What Scripture records of Meonothai is brief but specific: he fathered a son named Ophrah. The verse then turns to Seraiah, who begat Joab, identified as “the father of the valley of Charashim,” with the explanation that “they were craftsmen.” This closing note ties the men named in the verse to a community known for its skilled labor, a settlement associated with craftsmen. Meonothai himself is not given any further description, and no additional deeds, words, or circumstances of his life are preserved in the biblical text.
His appearance in the genealogy serves the broader purpose of the Chronicler: documenting the lines of Judah and the families that settled and worked within the land. Though Meonothai’s role is confined to a single verse, he stands among the many ordinary ancestors whose names are recorded as part of the unfolding story of God’s people. The source note confirms only that he was a descendant of Judah mentioned in the tribe’s genealogies, and Scripture adds no more.
The Name
The name Meonothai is a Hebrew name whose precise meaning is not clearly recoverable from the biblical text or from standard lexical sources. It appears to be related to a Hebrew root connected with dwelling or habitation, but the exact sense of the name as borne by this individual is not well established. Rather than assign a meaning that cannot be confidently supported, it is best to say plainly that the meaning of this name is uncertain.
A Closing Thought
Most of us will never be remembered in a genealogy, let alone in Scripture. Meonothai’s entire legacy in the Bible is a single line: he had a son, and he belonged to a family of craftsmen. Yet that quiet record is not without worth. God’s story is carried forward not only by kings and prophets but by ordinary people who lived faithfully, raised families, and worked with their hands. Meonothai reminds us that a life hidden from history is still seen by God, and that faithfulness in small, unrecorded things is never wasted.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 4:14 — And Meonothai begat Ophrah: and Seraiah begat Joab, the father of the valley of Charashim; for they were craftsmen.