Original Word: שׁוּעַ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Shuwa`
Pronunciation: shoo'-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (shoo'-ah)
KJV: Shua, Shuah
Word Origin: [the same as H7769 (שׁוַּע - cry out for help)]

1. Shua, a Canaanite

Shua, Shuah

The same as shuwa'; Shua, a Canaanite -- Shua, Shuah.

see HEBREW shuwa'

I. שׁוּעַ proper name, masculine father of Judah's wife, ᵐ5 Σαυα, Genesis 38:2 and (after construct בַּת) Genesis 38:12; 1 Chronicles 2:3; see בַּתשֿׁוּע above, and compare on meaning (אֲבִי)שׁוּעַ p. 4, (אֱלִי)שׁוּעַ p. 1 Chronicles 4:6.

Occurrences and Narrative Setting

Shua appears twice in the canonical text, both in the narrative of Genesis 38. He is introduced as a Canaanite whose unnamed daughter becomes the wife of Judah: “Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite named Shua, and he took her as a wife and slept with her” (Genesis 38:2). Later, after the birth of Er, Onan, and Shelah, Scripture notes: “After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua, died” (Genesis 38:12). These brief mentions frame Shua as the patriarch of a Canaanite household that forms an unexpected link in the unfolding history of Judah.

Historical Context

The episode takes place shortly after Joseph is sold into slavery (Genesis 37) and before Jacob’s family relocates to Egypt. The patriarchal period was marked by a strong concern that Abraham’s line not intermarry with the surrounding Canaanite peoples (compare Genesis 24:3 – 4; 28:1 – 2). Shua therefore represents a direct breach of that precedent: Judah, unlike Isaac and Jacob, marries into a Canaanite clan. The resulting tensions—moral, familial, and covenantal—form the literary and theological backdrop for the entire Tamar narrative.

Genealogical Significance

Through Shua’s daughter Judah fathers three sons. Two of them, Er and Onan, die under divine judgment (Genesis 38:7, 10); the third, Shelah, becomes the unfulfilled kinsman-redeemer whom Judah withholds from Tamar. The deaths of Er and Onan leave Judah’s line apparently stalled until Tamar’s bold intervention leads to the birth of Perez and Zerah (Genesis 38:29 – 30). Thus Shua’s household, though biologically connected to Judah, does not carry forward the messianic line. The covenant promise passes instead through Perez, born of Tamar, reinforcing the sovereignty of God in preserving His redemptive purposes despite human failure.

Covenantal and Moral Implications

Judah’s marriage to a Canaanite woman highlights the dangers of assimilation with the surrounding culture. The ensuing tragedy—wicked sons, premature deaths, and family scandal—serves as an implicit warning consistent with later Mosaic legislation against intermarriage with idol-worshiping nations (Deuteronomy 7:3 – 4). Shua’s presence in the text accentuates Judah’s drift from covenant distinctiveness: he not only marries outside the covenant community but also adopts local customs (Genesis 38:12 – 13). In contrast, the righteousness of Tamar and the repentance of Judah (Genesis 38:26) underscore the possibility of restoration when God’s standards are acknowledged.

Theological Reflections

1. Divine Providence: Shua, a seemingly minor figure, indirectly sets the stage for the birth of Perez, ancestor of David and of Jesus Christ (Ruth 4:18 – 22; Matthew 1:3). The episode demonstrates that God’s purposes are not thwarted by human missteps.
2. Holiness and Separation: The narrative validates the patriarchal instinct to guard the covenant line from syncretism. Shua’s Canaanite identity contrasts sharply with God’s call to holiness, anticipating Israel’s later struggles.
3. Mercy Over Judgment: While Shua’s descendants by Judah suffer judgment, the chapter ultimately records mercy extended through Tamar, reminding readers that divine discipline aims at covenant faithfulness rather than annihilation.

Practical and Ministry Applications

• Guarding Spiritual Heritage: Just as Judah’s choice introduced compromise, leaders today must be vigilant about alliances that erode biblical convictions.
• Repentance and Restoration: Judah’s eventual acknowledgment of his wrongdoing (Genesis 38:26) encourages believers to confess and correct course, trusting God to redeem failure.
• Valuing the Hidden Characters: Although Shua himself remains in the background, his small part in salvation history illustrates how every individual and decision matters within God’s larger plan.

Summary

Shua, though mentioned only twice, occupies an important place in the narrative arc of Genesis. His identity as a Canaanite father-in-law to Judah illuminates the challenges of maintaining covenant fidelity, underscores the gravity of moral choices, and sets the stage for God’s surprising grace in preserving the messianic line through Perez. Such lessons remain pertinent wherever the people of God face cultural pressures and must choose faithfulness over convenience.

שׁ֑וּעַ שׁ֣וּעַ שוע ShuaInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts