Bible Word Study
יְשִׁימָאֵל
Yᵉshîymâʼêl · Jesimael, an Israelite
יְשִׁימָאֵל
Jesimael, an Israelite
Definition
Jesimael (יְשִׁימָאֵל) is a proper name belonging to an Israelite from the tribe of Simeon. The name appears only once in the Old Testament, in a genealogical list of Simeonite leaders (1 Chronicles 4:36). As a personal name, it carries the meaning 'God will place' or 'God will set,' reflecting a statement of faith in divine action. There are no other biblical senses or meanings for this specific name, as it is used exclusively to identify this single individual in the context of tribal lineage.
Biblical Usage
This name is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 4:36. It appears within a list of Simeonite clan leaders who are noted for their increase and for seeking pasture during the reign of King Hezekiah. The usage is purely genealogical and historical, serving to document the lineage and prominent families within the tribe of Simeon.
Etymology
The name Jesimael is a compound Hebrew name derived from the verb שׂוּם (śûm, H7760), meaning 'to put, place, or set,' and the divine name אֵל (ʼēl, H410), meaning 'God.' Therefore, the name translates directly as 'God will place.' It follows a common pattern of Hebrew theophoric names that express confidence in God's future action or character.
Semantic Range
While the individual Jesimael is not a major biblical figure, his name is theologically significant as a type of 'confessional name.' It embodies a personal declaration of trust in God's sovereign ability to establish, appoint, or provide. Such names in genealogies remind readers that God's faithfulness is worked out through generations of ordinary individuals. Understanding the meaning 'God will place' enriches the reading of 1 Chronicles by highlighting that even in a list of names, faith in God's providential action is embedded. In ancient Israelite culture, personal names were often meaningful sentences or declarations about God's nature or the parents' hopes. A name like Jesimael ('God will place') likely expressed the parents' prayer or belief that God would establish their child's life, position, or future. This differs from modern naming conventions, which often prioritize sound or family tradition over literal meaning. Ishmael (יִשְׁמָעֵאל, H3458) — Means 'God hears'; another theophoric name with אֵל, but from the root שָׁמַע (to hear).
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]