Atarah.

By: Morris Jastrow, Jr. , Gerson B. Levi , Marcus Jastrow , Louis Ginzberg

A wife of Jerahmeel and the mother of Onam (I Chron. ii. 26). If Jerahmeel, as seems probable, is the name of a clan, the expression "wife" might point to an alliance (or in the case of "wives" alliances) with other clans.

Atarah was a Canaanite woman of rank, whom Jerahmeel married in order "to be crowned" through her; that is to say, to be raised to nobility ( , "crown," "decoration"). But she brought evil upon him, and was therefore called "the mother of Onam"; that is, "the mother of mourning" ( , "mourner"). On account of this irregular marriage, a portion of the tribe of Judah did not recognize the children of Jerahmeel as of pure descent (Yer. Sanh. ii. 20 b ; Ruth R., end).