Who was Shear-jashub in the Bible?

Shear-jashub was the son of the prophet Isaiah. His name, given by God, means 'a remnant shall return' and he accompanied his father on a significant prophetic mission to King Ahaz (Isaiah 7:3).

What is the significance of Shear-jashub's name?

His name, 'a remnant shall return,' was a prophetic sign from God. It symbolized God's promise that despite coming judgment, a faithful remnant of Judah would survive and return to Him (Isaiah 10:20-22).

What key event was Shear-jashub part of?

Shear-jashub's key event was accompanying his father Isaiah to deliver a message to King Ahaz. His presence, as a living symbol of his name, reinforced Isaiah's prophecy concerning the threat from Syria and Israel (Isaiah 7:1-9).

Shear-jashub

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleProphetSon

Shear-jashub, meaning "a remnant shall return," was the son of the prophet Isaiah and accompanied his father to meet King Ahaz.

Shear-jashub

Biography

Shear-jashub, whose Hebrew name means "a remnant shall return," was the son of the prophet Isaiah and served as a living prophetic sign during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah. His sole narrative appearance is in Isaiah 7:3, where God instructs Isaiah to take Shear-jashub and meet Ahaz at the conduit of the upper pool during the Syro-Ephraimite crisis (ca. 734 BC). Isaiah's children bore symbolic names that embodied prophetic messages, Shear-jashub's name encapsulated both a warning of judgment (only a remnant would survive) and a promise of hope (that remnant would return). His very presence alongside his father during this encounter with the king made him a walking proclamation of divine intention toward Judah.

Significance

Shear-jashub's significance is primarily semiotic: as a sign-child (Isaiah 8:18), his name functioned as a condensed theological statement about Israel's future. The dual meaning of his name, expressing both the reality of coming devastation and the assurance of divine preservation, embodies Isaiah's complex prophetic message of judgment and hope. In the context of Isaiah 7, where the famous Immanuel prophecy is also given, Shear-jashub's presence reinforces the theme that God remains actively present with his people even in crisis. His name anticipates the doctrine of the remnant that runs through Isaiah and becomes foundational to New Testament theology of the preserved people of God (Romans 9:27).

Verse Appearances (1)

Isaiah

Isaiah 7:3

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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