Shenazar is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Shenazar was a descendant of David, named in the genealogies of the tribe of Judah recorded in 1 Chronicles. He appears in a list of the sons of Jeconiah, the king of Judah who was carried away captive to Babylon. The passage reads: “Malchiram also, and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah” (1 Chronicles 3:18). These men are identified as sons of Jeconiah, also called Jehoiachin, the next-to-last king of Judah before the Babylonian exile.
The setting of this genealogy is the period after the Babylonian captivity. The Chronicler, writing for the returned exiles, traced the line of David carefully to show that God’s covenant promise to David had not failed despite the nation’s defeat and deportation. Shenazar belongs to that generation born in exile or immediately after it—a royal descendant whose very existence testified that the Davidic line continued.
Scripture says nothing further about Shenazar. He does not appear in any narrative, and no deed, word, or characteristic is attributed to him. He is simply one name in a long chain of names. Yet that is precisely his significance in the text: he is a living link in the genealogy that leads from David toward the promised Messiah. His inclusion in the chronicle of Judah’s royal house shows that he was counted among those through whom God preserved the line of promise.
The Name
The name Shenazar is a Hebrew name of uncertain meaning. It appears only here in the King James Bible, and its etymology is not clearly recoverable. Some scholars have suggested it may be of Babylonian origin, possibly related to a name honoring a Babylonian deity, which would fit a child born during the exile. Others propose possible Hebrew derivations, but none is firmly established. Because the meaning is not clearly known, it is best to say so plainly rather than assign a meaning the text does not give.
A Closing Thought
Most of us will never be remembered in a genealogy, much less in Scripture. Shenazar’s entire biblical footprint is a single name in a list. Yet he was not forgotten by God. He was part of the quiet, faithful chain by which the Lord kept His promise alive through exile and obscurity. There is comfort in that. A life hidden from history is still held in the hand of the God who numbers the generations and keeps every promise. Faithfulness does not require a record; it requires belonging to the line of those who wait on the Lord.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 3:18 — Malchiram also, and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.