Ulla is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Ulla was a man of the tribe of Asher, listed in the genealogies recorded in 1 Chronicles. He is identified in the source note as a descendant of Asher, one of the sons of Jacob, and his name appears in the tribal record preserved for the returning exiles and for later generations of Israelites. The genealogies of 1 Chronicles served to document family lines, land inheritance, and the continuity of God’s people, and Ulla’s place within them shows that he belonged to that covenant community.
The single scriptural reference to Ulla is found in 1 Chronicles 7:39: “And the sons of Ulla; Arah, and Haniel, and Rezia.” This verse names Ulla as a father of three sons. Beyond this, Scripture records nothing of his life, his deeds, or his character. He is not described as a warrior, a judge, a prophet, or a king. He appears only as a link in a lineage, a man whose primary significance in the biblical text is that he had sons who continued his family line within the tribe of Asher.
The setting of this genealogy is the larger account of Israel’s tribes as they were organized and remembered. The Chronicler, writing for a post-exilic community, traced the descendants of the twelve tribes to affirm that God had preserved His people and that their heritage remained intact. Ulla’s inclusion, though brief, testifies that even ordinary members of the tribe of Asher were counted and remembered. He did nothing recorded in Scripture beyond fathering children, yet his name was preserved in the sacred record as part of the family of God’s people.
The Name
The name Ulla is a Hebrew name whose precise meaning is not clearly recoverable from the biblical text or from standard lexical sources. Some suggestions have been offered connecting it to a root related to a yoke or burden, but this is not firmly established, and the name may instead be a shortened or variant form whose original sense has been lost. Because Scripture does not explain the name and no certain etymology is attested, it is best to say plainly that the meaning of Ulla is uncertain rather than to assign it a meaning that cannot be verified.
A Closing Thought
Ulla’s life reminds us that most of God’s people are not remembered for great deeds but for faithful presence in the ordinary places of life. He raised three sons, and that was enough for his name to be written into the family record of Israel. In the same way, much of our service to God is quiet and unseen—raising children, keeping faith, belonging to a community that outlasts us. The Lord does not forget the small and hidden lives of His people, and He has written every one of them into His own book of remembrance.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 7:39 — And the sons of Ulla; Arah, and Haniel, and Rezia.