Who was Shua in the bible?

Shua is the name of more than one biblical figure in the provided passages: (1) a Canaanite man named Shua, identified as the father of Judah’s wife in Genesis 38, and (2) Shua, a woman listed as a sister within the tribe of Asher in 1 Chronicles 7. Lexicon glosses also associate the name with ideas such as a “halloo” (for one Hebrew form) and “wealth” (for another).

Shua in Scripture

1) Shua the Canaanite (father of Judah’s wife)

In Genesis 38, Shua appears when Judah forms a marriage connection with a Canaanite family. The narrative begins by placing Judah in a new setting away from his brothers and alongside an Adullamite associate:

“At that time, Judah went down from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.” (Genesis 38:1)

Within that context, Judah marries a woman identified through her father, Shua:

“There, Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite man named Shua. He took her, and went in to her.” (Genesis 38:2)

The chapter then reports the births of Judah’s sons through Shua’s daughter. The account names the children in sequence and preserves the naming details:

“She conceived, and bore a son; and he named him Er.” (Genesis 38:3)

“She conceived again, and bore a son; and she named him Onan.” (Genesis 38:4)

“She yet again bore a son, and named him Shelah. He was at Chezib when she bore him.” (Genesis 38:5)

As the narrative continues, it notes divine judgment connected to wrongdoing (without repeating all details here). The chapter includes the summary statement:

“The thing which he did was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and he killed him also.” (Genesis 38:10)

Judah then speaks to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, directing her to remain a widow for a time:

“Then Judah said to Tamar, his daughter-in-law, ‘Remain a widow in your father’s house, until Shelah, my son, is grown up;’ for he said, ‘Lest he also die, like his brothers.’ Tamar went and lived in her father’s house.” (Genesis 38:11)

Shua himself is not present in these episodes, but his household remains relevant because Judah’s wife is consistently identified as “Shua’s daughter.” Later, the chapter marks a turning point with the death of Judah’s wife, again naming her by her father:

“After many days, Shua’s daughter, the wife of Judah, died. Judah was comforted, and went up to his sheep shearers to Timnah, he and his friend Hirah, the Adullamite.” (Genesis 38:12)

This move toward Timnah sets the stage for Tamar’s actions. The text records how Tamar is informed of Judah’s travel:

“Tamar was told, ‘Behold, your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep.’” (Genesis 38:13)

It then describes her change of clothing and where she sits, connected to the matter of Shelah:

“She took off the garments of her widowhood, and covered herself with her veil, and wrapped herself, and sat in the gate of Enaim, which is on the way to Timnah; for she saw that Shelah was grown up, and she wasn’t given to him as a wife.” (Genesis 38:14)

As Judah passes, the narrative notes his mistaken impression:

“When Judah saw her, he thought that she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.” (Genesis 38:15)

Within Genesis 38, then, Shua’s direct role is limited to identifying the Canaanite family into which Judah married; Shua is mentioned when Judah first takes Shua’s daughter as wife and when she later dies.

The Chronicles genealogy echoes this same identification in a compact form, presenting Judah’s sons and explicitly linking their mother to Shua and calling her a Canaanite woman:

“The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah; which three were born to him of Shua’s daughter the Canaanitess. Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in Yahweh’s sight; and he killed him.” (1 Chronicles 2:3)

That statement occurs in a broader listing that begins:

“These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun,” (1 Chronicles 2:1)

“Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.” (1 Chronicles 2:2)

In this way, 1 Chronicles 2 situates the mention of Shua within the tribe context of Judah among “the sons of Israel,” while still labeling Judah’s wife (Shua’s daughter) as “the Canaanitess.”

2) Shua the sister in Asher’s line

A different Shua appears in a genealogy of Asher in 1 Chronicles 7. The passage moves through the sons of Asher and then through Beriah and Heber:

“The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah. Serah was their sister.” (1 Chronicles 7:30)

“The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith.” (1 Chronicles 7:31)

Then Shua is listed explicitly as a sister alongside named brothers, as part of Heber’s family:

“Heber became the father of Japhlet, Shomer, Hotham, and Shua their sister.” (1 Chronicles 7:32)

The genealogy proceeds by listing descendants of these brothers:

“The sons of Japhlet: Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These are the children of Japhlet.” (1 Chronicles 7:33)

“The sons of Shemer: Ahi, Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram.” (1 Chronicles 7:34)

“The sons of Helem his brother: Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal.” (1 Chronicles 7:35)

In this setting, Shua is not described by actions or events but is preserved within the genealogical record as “their sister” in the family stemming from Heber, within the tribe of Asher.

Distinguishing the bearers

These references describe at least two distinct individuals named Shua. Genesis 38:2 identifies “a certain Canaanite man named Shua,” while 1 Chronicles 7:32 identifies “Shua their sister” within Asher’s genealogy. The Shua of Genesis is a man (a Canaanite) known through his daughter’s marriage to Judah, whereas the Shua of 1 Chronicles 7 is a woman listed as a sister among Heber’s children.

Name and Meaning

One Hebrew form is written שׁוּעַ (transliteration Shuwa’, pronounced shoo’-ah), associated in lexicon derivation with the same root as another entry and with a component sense described as “a halloo.” Another Hebrew form is written שׁוּעָא (transliteration Shuw’a’, pronounced shoo-aw’), associated in lexicon derivation with a root connected to the idea of “wealth,” and with a component verb sense described as “properly, to be free; but used only caus.” These derivation notes are lexical explanations attached to the two spellings of the name in the provided material.

Observation

The passages preserve Shua’s name chiefly as an identifier in family lines—“the daughter of a certain Canaanite man named Shua” (Genesis 38:2) and “Shua their sister” (1 Chronicles 7:32)—showing how the biblical record can link major narratives and tribal genealogies through brief but specific naming.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Shua mean?

One Hebrew form of Shua is linked with the meaning “wealth.”

How many times does Shua appear in the Bible?

Shua appears 4 time(s) total across the two Hebrew entries given.

Who was Shua?

Shua is named as a Canaanite man whose daughter became Judah’s wife (Genesis 38:2; Genesis 38:12). Shua is also the name of an Israelitess, listed as Heber’s sister (1 Chronicles 7:32).

Was there more than one person named Shua?

Yes. One Shua is a Canaanite man connected with Judah through Shua’s daughter (Genesis 38:2), and another Shua is an Israelitess named as a sister in a genealogy (1 Chronicles 7:32).

Explore Further

If you found this page about Shua interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.

Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).