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Who was Bela in the Bible?

Lived during the years in Egypt and the wilderness

Bela is mentioned in several passages (Gen.46.21; Num.26.38, 40; 1Ch.7.6, 7; 8.1, 3) as one of the sons of Benjamin, the youngest son of Israel (or 'Jacob'). Bela appears in 11 verses across 3 books of the Bible.

The Bible uses the name Bela for 2 different people. All 2 are below, each with its own passages.

Bela in 1 Chronicles

Bela is mentioned in several passages (Gen.46.21; Num.26.38, 40; 1Ch.7.6, 7; 8.1, 3) as one of the sons of Benjamin, the youngest son of Israel (or 'Jacob'). He is consistently listed as the first among Benjamin's sons, suggesting his prominence within the family. In the census of the Israelites in the wilderness (Numbers 26), Bela is named as the head of the Belaite clan, one of the clans within the tribe of Benjamin. The descendants of Bela are also mentioned in the genealogies of 1 Chronicles, highlighting the continuity of his lineage. The repeated mention of Bela in these various contexts emphasizes his importance as a progenitor of the Benjamite tribe and the role of his clan in the history of Israel.

Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.

Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.

Bela, son of Beor

Bela, the son of Beor, is mentioned in Gen.36.32-33 and 1Ch.1.43-44 as the first king of Edom. The context of these passages is the genealogy of Esau, also known as Edom, and the list of kings who reigned in Edom before Israel had a king. Bela is described as reigning in Edom, with his city named Dinhabah. The mention of Bela as the first king suggests that he played a significant role in establishing the Edomite monarchy. The fact that he reigned before Israel had a king highlights the political development of Edom as a nation.

4 verses: 1 Chronicles 1:43, 1 Chronicles 1:44, Genesis 36:32, Genesis 36:33

Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.

Where does Bela appear in the Bible?

Bela is referenced in 11 verses across 3 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

1 Chronicles 6Genesis 3Numbers 2

Showing the first 7 of 11.

Open all 11 references in Protos

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Bela.

EdomJobabBenjamin

Common questions

How many people in the Bible are called Bela?

Bela refers to 2 different people in the Bible: Bela in 1 Chronicles; Bela, son of Beor.

How many times does the Bible mention Bela?

Bela appears in 11 verses across 3 books, most often in 1 Chronicles, which accounts for 6 of them.

Which books of the Bible mention Bela?

1 Chronicles, Genesis, Numbers.

Where can I read every verse about Bela?

This page lists 7 of them. Protos carries all 11, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.

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Read 1 Chronicles with Bela explained on the verse.

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