Bible Word Study
יִצְרִי
Yitsrîy · Jitsri, an Israelite
יִצְרִי
Jitsri, an Israelite
Definition
Yitsrîy (יִצְרִי) is a proper noun identifying an Israelite man named Jitsri (also rendered Isri in the KJV). He is listed as a son of Uzziel, a descendant of Kohath from the tribe of Levi (Numbers 26:49). In 1 Chronicles 25:11, a man named Zeri (likely a textual variant or short form of Yitsrîy) is noted as one of the sons of Jeduthun, a Levitical musician appointed for service in the temple. The name signifies 'my formation' or 'my potter,' deriving from the Hebrew root for 'to form' or 'fashion.'
Biblical Usage
This proper name appears only twice in the Old Testament, both in genealogical or census contexts. In Numbers 26:49, it is used within the census of the Kohathite clans during the wilderness period. In 1 Chronicles 25:11, the reference (as Zeri) occurs in a list of Levitical musicians appointed by lot for temple worship under King David. The usage is strictly as a personal identifier within Israel's tribal and religious structures.
Etymology
The name יִצְרִי (Yitsrîy) is a patronymic or gentilic adjective derived from the root יָצַר (yāṣar, H3335), meaning 'to form,' 'fashion,' or 'shape,' as a potter forms clay. It is related to the noun יוֹצֵר (yôṣēr), meaning 'potter' or 'creator.' The name essentially means 'my former' or 'my potter,' possibly expressing a theological acknowledgment of God as the divine shaper of life (e.g., Isaiah 64:8).
Semantic Range
While the name itself is a personal identifier, its etymological root (yāṣar, 'to form') connects it to the profound biblical theme of God as the divine Potter who shapes His people (Isaiah 29:16, Jeremiah 18:6). For a Bible reader, recognizing this root enriches the understanding that even names in genealogies can echo core truths about God's creative and sovereign work in forming Israel's history and worship community. In ancient Israelite culture, names often carried meaningful significance, reflecting character, destiny, or divine attributes. A name like Yitsrîy ('my former/potter') would resonate in a society familiar with pottery as a common craft and with the metaphorical language of God as the Potter of Israel. Its appearance in Levitical lists highlights the importance of lineage and assigned roles in Israel's religious life. Zeri (Zĕrîy, H6874) — A likely variant or shortened form of Yitsrîy used in 1 Chronicles 25:11 for the same individual.
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]