Reaia is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Reaia was a man of the tribe of Judah, listed in the genealogies recorded in 1 Chronicles. According to the source note, he was a descendant of Shobal. The genealogies of Judah trace the lines of the families that made up this prominent tribe, and Reaia appears within that record as one link in a chain stretching across the generations.
The setting of his mention is a genealogy—a list of names rather than a narrative. Scripture introduces him in 1 Chronicles 5:5 with the simple words, “Micah his son, Reaia his son, Baal his son.” This verse places Reaia between his father Micah and his son Baal, showing him as both the son of one man and the father of another. The text records nothing of his deeds, his occupation, his character, or the length of his life.
What Scripture says of Reaia, then, is limited to his place in the family line. He is remembered not for any action he took but for his position among the descendants of Shobal in Judah’s genealogy. His name appears only once in the King James Bible, and the verse that contains it does no more than identify him as a son and a father in the ongoing record of Judah’s families.
The Name
The name Reaia is a Hebrew name, and its meaning is not clearly recoverable from the text or from the source note provided. While some Hebrew names carry well-established meanings that can be traced with confidence, others—including this one—are obscure, and scholars do not agree on a definite interpretation. Rather than assign it a meaning that cannot be verified, it is better to say plainly that the meaning of this name is uncertain. No meaning should be invented simply to fill the space.
A Closing Thought
Most of us will never be remembered in a history book, and neither was Reaia—except for one quiet line in a long list of names. Yet that line matters. He was a real person, a father, a son, a member of God’s people, and his place in the record was preserved for generations. There is comfort in this. God does not overlook the ordinary lives that make up His story, even when the world takes no notice. Faithfulness in a hidden life is still faithfulness, and it is seen by the One who keeps every name.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 5:5 — Micah his son, Reaia his son, Baal his son,