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Gera

Meaning: grain

The Bible clearly uses the name Gera for men (or a founding figure and his clan) within the tribe of Benjamin. A cautious reading recognizes at least one early Gera (linked to Benjamin/Bela) whose name became associated with a clan, plus the two well-known “son of Gera” figures (Ehud’s ancestor and Shimei’s ancestor), while allowing that some of these may collapse into fewer distinct persons.

  1. Gera 1, son of Bela

    He is a grandson of Benjamin (1 Chronicles 8:3, 5, 7).

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  2. Gera 2, son of Bela

    Ancient naming practices sometimes reused names, and biblical genealogies sometimes list clan heads rather than strict lists of full brothers. Sso this is most likely a 2nd Gera. However, this is sometimes debated. Some lean toward either a textual issue or a clan-structure explanation rather than two full brothers both named Gera.

    3. Bela had sons: Addar, Gera, Abihud,
    4. Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah,
    5. Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram. —1 Chronicles 8:3-5 NASB

    Some conjecture that “Abihud” in verse 3 could be read as Gera ʾăbî ʾēhûd (“Gera father of Ehud”). This would make the first Gera the father of the judge Ehud (matching Judges 3:15). In this case, the names that follow (including the 2nd Gera) would then belong under Ehud’s line rather than as additional direct sons of Bela. However, there is no direct support for this in the main Hebrew manuscripts.

  3. Gera, the father of Ehud the judge

    Then the sons of Israel cried to Yahweh, and Yahweh raised up a savior for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. … —Judges 3:15 excerpt LSB

    These are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of fathers’ households of the inhabitants of Geba, and they took them away into exile to Manahath, namely, Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera—he took them away into exile… —1 Chronicles 8:6-7 excerpt NASB

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  4. Gera, father of Shimei

    He grossly abused David, but David forgave him when he later apologized (2 Sam. 16:5; 19:16, 18-23).

    And King David came to Bahurim, and behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he came out cursing continually as he came. —2 Samuel 16:5

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Article Version: July 14, 2026