Original Word: פוּאָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Puw'ah
Pronunciation: POO-ah or POO-vah
Phonetic Spelling: (poo-aw')
KJV: Phuvah, Pua, Puah
NASB: Puah, Puvah, Puvvah
Word Origin: [from H6284 (פָּאָה - cut them to pieces)]

1. a blast
2. Puah or Puvvah, the name of two Israelites

Phuvah, Pua, Puah

Or Puvvah {poov-vaw'}; from pa'ah; a blast; Puah or Puvvah, the name of two Israelites -- Phuvah, Pua, Puah.

see HEBREW pa'ah

Word Origin
from poh
Definition
a man of Issachar
NASB Translation
Puah (2), Puvah (1), Puvvah (1).

מּוּאָה, מֻּוָּה proper name, masculine in Issachar, Φουα, etc.; — מּוּאָה Judges 10:1 (see GFM), 1 Chronicles 7:1; מֻּוָּה Genesis 46:13; Numbers 26:3.

Name and Occurrences

Pua (Puah) appears four times in the Hebrew Scriptures: Genesis 46:13; Numbers 26:23; Judges 10:1; 1 Chronicles 7:1.

Genealogical Setting within the Patriarchal Narratives

Pua first enters the biblical record among those who went down to Egypt with Jacob: “The sons of Issachar: Tola, Pua, Job, and Shimron” (Genesis 46:13). His placement alongside Tola, Job (Iob), and Shimron identifies him as a direct grandson of Jacob through Issachar, demonstrating the promise that Abraham’s descendants would become a great nation even in exile (Genesis 15:13-14). His inclusion in the inspired genealogy affirms the historical reliability of the ancestral lists and provides continuity from the patriarchs to the nation that would later be redeemed from Egypt.

Tribal Heritage and Clan Formation

During the wilderness census under Moses, the name re-emerges at Sinai: “From Pua, the Puite clan” (Numbers 26:23). The text shows that Pua’s descendants formed a distinct sub-tribal grouping, contributing to Issachar’s encampment on the east side of the tabernacle (Numbers 2:5). The survival of this clan through four centuries of bondage and an arduous exodus manifests the covenant-keeping faithfulness of God (Exodus 2:24). For later readers, the clan lists undergird confidence that God knows and preserves His people by name.

Role in the Period of the Judges

The narrative dimension of the name reaches its high point in Judges 10:1: “After Abimelech’s death, Tola son of Puah, the son of Dodo, rose to deliver Israel”. Here the Issacharite judge Tola, grandson of Pua, arises amidst national apostasy. Although the judge’s exploits are summarized in only two verses, their impact is significant: he “judged Israel twenty-three years” (Judges 10:2). The mention of Pua in the judge’s lineage links the earlier clan lists with Israel’s need for deliverance, illustrating that God raises leaders from faithful families within every tribe. The silence regarding Tola’s military campaigns suggests that his primary contribution may have been spiritual and judicial, stabilizing Israel after the chaos of Abimelech’s tyranny.

Chronicler’s Perspective and Restoration Hope

In 1 Chronicles 7:1 the post-exilic Chronicler revisits the Issachar genealogy: “The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron.” By restoring Pua to the forefront, the Chronicler offers returned exiles a rooted identity in the patriarchal blessings. Genealogical continuity functions pastorally, assuring the post-exilic community that, though scattered and disciplined, they remain the chosen people (1 Chronicles 9:1).

Theological and Ministry Implications

1. Covenant Fidelity: Pua’s clan is named before, during, and after Israel’s greatest national crises—Egyptian slavery, wilderness wandering, Canaanite turmoil, and Babylonian exile—demonstrating that God’s covenant purposes persist across generations (Psalm 105:8-10).
2. Intercessory Deliverance: By identifying Tola as “son of Puah,” Scripture underlines the spiritual heritage behind leadership. Familial faithfulness often precedes public ministry (2 Timothy 1:5 principle).
3. Every-Member Significance: None of Pua’s personal deeds are recorded, yet his name anchors census rolls and leadership records. This affirms that lesser-known believers contribute indispensably to God’s redemptive account (1 Corinthians 12:22).
4. Messianic Trajectory: While the Messiah arises from Judah, the inclusion of Issacharite lines such as Pua’s displays the breadth of Israel’s participation in salvation history, foreshadowing the ingrafting of every tribe and nation in Christ (Revelation 5:9-10).

Practical Application for the Church Today

• Embrace unnoticed faithfulness: Like Pua, believers may never achieve public prominence, yet their legacy can shape future deliverers.
• Preserve spiritual genealogy: Recording testimonies and family histories encourages the next generation to see God’s enduring hand (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).
• Celebrate corporate identity: Lists of names in Scripture remind congregations that ministry is communal, not merely individual.

Summary

Pua, though a seemingly minor figure, embodies the enduring covenant loyalty of God, the intergenerational nature of spiritual impact, and the quiet faithfulness that undergirds public deliverance. His brief mentions knit together the account of Israel from patriarchs to post-exilic hope, encouraging believers that God remembers, preserves, and utilizes every name written in His book (Malachi 3:16).

וּפֻוָּ֖ה וּפוּאָ֛ה ופואה ופוה לְפֻוָ֕ה לפוה פּוּאָ֛ה פואה lə·p̄u·wāh lefuVah ləp̄uwāh pū’āh pū·’āh puAh ū·p̄ū·’āh ū·p̄uw·wāh ufuAh ufuvVah ūp̄ū’āh ūp̄uwwāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts