Lexical Summary
Taarea: Taarea
Original Word:תַּאֲרֵעַ
Part of Speech:Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration:Ta'area`
Pronunciation:tah-ah-REH-ah
Phonetic Spelling:(tah-ar-ay'-ah)
KJV: Tarea See H8475
NASB:Tarea
Word Origin:[perhaps fromH77 (אֶבֶץ - Ebez)2]
1. Taarea, an Israelite
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
beautiful, comely, countenance, fair, favored, goodly
Perhaps fromara'; Taarea, an Israelite -- Tarea. SeeTachrea'.
see HEBREWara'
see HEBREWTachrea'
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitiona desc. of Saul, the same as NH8475
NASB TranslationTarea (1).
Topical Lexicon
Name and SettingTaarea (תַּאֲרֵעַ) appears once in the Hebrew Scriptures, within the Benjamite genealogies recorded by the Chronicler. The single occurrence is found in1 Chronicles 8:35, where Taarea is listed among the sons of Micah, a descendant of King Saul. A closely related spelling, Tahrea, re-appears in the parallel genealogy of1 Chronicles 9:41, underscoring that Taarea belongs to the same family line preserved after the exile.
Biblical Occurrence
•1 Chronicles 8:35 – “The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz.”
Historical Context
The genealogies in1 Chronicles 8–9 were compiled after the return from Babylon to re-establish Israel’s tribal identities and to demonstrate the continuity of God’s covenant faithfulness. In that setting, Taarea’s name affirms that even lesser-known members of Saul’s household were remembered, ensuring that no link in the ancestral chain was lost despite national upheaval.
Micah, Taarea’s father, was a grandson of Jonathan (1 Chronicles 8:34), so Taarea stands in the royal Benjamite line four generations removed from Saul. Chronicling that lineage served at least three purposes:
1. to confirm the fulfillment of God’s earlier word that Saul’s dynasty would not endure in kingship but would nevertheless persist (1 Samuel 15:28;2 Samuel 21:7),
2. to provide legal validation for land, inheritance, and temple service in post-exilic Judah, and
3. to encourage the returned remnant that God had preserved every tribe, including Saul’s, through judgment and exile.
Genealogical Significance
Taarea’s placement illustrates several principles embedded in biblical genealogies:
• Preservation – Each individual links the larger account of redemption across generations.
• Mercy – Though Saul’s house suffered divine discipline, its members were not erased.
• Hope – The Chronicler’s audience could look back on a precise lineage and look forward to a promised future, ultimately fulfilled in the Messiah who would come from another tribe yet embrace all Israel (Hebrews 7:14;Revelation 5:5).
Lessons for Ministry and Personal Application
1. God values every person. The brief record of Taarea reveals that obscurity before men does not equal anonymity before God (Psalm 139:16).
2. Spiritual heritage matters. Families transmit covenant knowledge—names such as Taarea call modern believers to steward their own family legacies faithfully (2 Timothy 1:5).
3. Faithfulness in record-keeping can bolster community identity. Churches and ministries that honor history foster continuity and accountability (Joshua 4:6-7).
4. Divine discipline is tempered with grace. Saul’s rebellious reign ended, yet his descendants, including Taarea, remained objects of covenant care (2 Samuel 9:7; 21:7).
Theological Reflections
The Chronicler highlights God’s sovereignty in guiding Israel’s account through unexpected turns. Taarea’s lone mention functions as a narrative thread tying together themes of judgment, preservation, and grace. From a New Testament vantage point, every recorded name foreshadows the inclusive reach of the gospel, where in Christ “there is no difference between Jew and Greek” (Romans 10:12) and each believer is equally remembered in “the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27).
Thus, while Taarea occupies only a single verse, his presence in Scripture testifies to the meticulous providence of God, the endurance of covenant promises, and the value of every individual within the unfolding plan of redemption.
Forms and Transliterations
וְתַאְרֵ֥עַ ותארע vetaRea wə·ṯa’·rê·a‘ wəṯa’rêa‘
Links
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Englishman's Greek Concordance •
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