יֹשֵׁב בַּשֶּׁבֶת

𐤉𐤔𐤁 𐤁𐤔𐤁𐤕

Yoshev Bashevet

H3429 verb

SILEX Entry

Root יָשַׁב, שֶׁבֶת to sit, to dwell, seat, assembly

Definition

A proper name, designating an individual among David’s elite warriors, literally meaning 'the one sitting in the seat.' The phrase emphasizes high status or prominence, suggesting a principal position among others. In context, it refers specifically to Yôshêb bash-Shebeth, the leader of the 'Three' chief warriors of David's retinue.

Semantic Range

one who sits in the seat, chief or principal among a council or group, leader with a seat of honor; personal name or title indicating prominence

Root / Etymology

The name is a compound of the active participle יֹשֵׁב (yôshêb, 'one who sits') from the root יָשַׁב (to sit, dwell) and the noun שֶׁבֶת (shebeth, 'seat' or 'session'). The phrase includes the preposition בַּ (in), the article הַ (the), forming 'the one sitting in the seat.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

This name appears in 2 Samuel 23:8, in the list of David's mighty men, where it designates the chief of the 'Three.' Some manuscripts and parallel passages (1 Chronicles 11:11) offer variant forms (e.g., יָשָׁבְעָם Yashobam), possibly due to textual corruption or interpretative differences. The compound structure and designation 'the one who sits in the seat' signifies a position of rank or prominence, likely reflecting the individual's status among the warriors rather than a personal name in the regular sense. English translations often render this as a single proper name, but the phrase originally describes a distinguished role. Later Jewish and Christian traditions sometimes read 'Joshebbash-Shebeth' as a personal name, but its participial construction indicates an original descriptive sense. No evidence connects this title directly to later religious identity or usage; it remains a title or epithet within the monarchic period setting.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from the active participle of יָשַׁב and שֶׁבֶת, with a preposition and the article interposed; sitting in the seat; Joshebbash-Shebeth, an Israelite; that sat in the seat.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ישב (y-š-b) — to sit, to dwell, seat, assembly

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3143 יוֹשִׁבְיָה Yahweh causes to dwell
H3427 יָשַׁב in dwelling
H3428 יֶשֶׁבְאָב Dwelling-of-a-Father
H3430 יִשְׁבּוֹ בְּנֹב Dweller-in-Nob
H4186 מוֹשָׁב in their dwelling-places

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3429-02 יֹשֵׁ֨ב yoshev HVqrmsa sitting dwelling-one 1
H3429-01 בַּשֶּׁ֜בֶת bashevet HNp in the seat in the seat 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3429-02 2 Samuel 23:8 יֹשֵׁ֨ב yoshev HVqrmsa sitting dwelling-one
H3429-01 2 Samuel 23:8 בַּשֶּׁ֜בֶת bashevet HNp in the seat in the seat