Bible Word Study
יְשִׁישָׁי
Yᵉshîyshây · Jeshishai, an Israelite
יְשִׁישָׁי
Jeshishai, an Israelite
Definition
Jeshishai is a proper name given to an Israelite from the tribe of Gad, as recorded in 1 Chronicles 5:14. The name itself means 'aged' or 'old man,' derived from the Hebrew root for an elderly person. In the biblical context, Jeshishai is listed as a son of Jahdo and a descendant of Abihail, situating him within a specific Gadite lineage. The single occurrence of this name serves primarily to document genealogy, with no other narrative or descriptive details provided about the individual.
Biblical Usage
This name is used exactly once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 5:14, within a genealogical list of the tribe of Gad. Its usage is purely for lineage documentation, identifying Jeshishai as part of the family of Abihail. There are no narrative contexts or patterns of usage beyond this single, administrative record.
Etymology
The name יְשִׁישָׁי (Yᵉshîyshây) is directly derived from the Hebrew noun יָשִׁישׁ (yâshîysh, H3453), meaning 'aged' or 'old man.' It is formed with the common Hebrew suffix '-ai,' often used in personal names. The root conveys the concept of advanced age and the associated wisdom or venerability.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often meaningful, reflecting characteristics, hopes, or circumstances. A name meaning 'aged' might have been given to express a hope for long life, to honor an elderly ancestor, or to denote wisdom and respect associated with old age. Recording such names in genealogies, as in 1 Chronicles, was crucial for establishing tribal identity, inheritance rights, and continuity within the covenant community. זָקֵן (zâqên, H2205) — A more common term for an elder, often used for leadership roles, whereas יָשִׁישׁ (yâshîsh, H3453) emphasizes the physical state of being aged.
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]