Did Judas have a wife?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10
In accordance with the Holy Scriptures, there are two prominent figures named Judah (or Judas) whose lives are detailed in the biblical record.
Judah the Patriarch (Son of Jacob)
Yes, Judah, the son of Jacob and the ancestor of the Tribe of Judah, had a wife. According to the Book of Genesis, he married the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. Although the Scriptures do not explicitly name her, she is referred to as "the daughter of Shua" or "Shua’s daughter."
With her, Judah had three sons:
- Er
- Onan
- Shelah
After the death of Shua’s daughter, Judah eventually had children with Tamar, his daughter-in-law, under the circumstances described in Genesis 38. While Tamar was not his legal wife in the traditional sense, she sought to preserve the lineage and blessing of the Hebrews. St. Ephrem the Syrian observes that Tamar’s actions were driven by a yearning for the blessing hidden within the lineage of the Hebrews rather than simple desire. Through this union, the twins Perez and Zerah were born, and Perez became a direct ancestor of our Lord Jesus Christ in His humanity.
Judas Iscariot
Regarding Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed our Lord, the Holy Scriptures and Church Tradition do not provide any record of him having a wife. He is depicted in the Gospels solely in the context of his role among the Twelve Apostles and his subsequent betrayal of the Savior.
In summary, the Patriarch Judah was married to the daughter of Shua, but there is no biblical evidence that Judas Iscariot was ever married.