יִשַׁי
𐤉𐤔𐤉
Yishay
H3448 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper masculine name referring to Yishay, the father of David, used primarily as a personal name in genealogical and narrative contexts. The word itself does not carry a lexical meaning beyond its function as a proper name, but it is often associated with Davidic lineage and ancestry in Israelite tradition.
Semantic Range
personal name; father of David; ancestor in genealogies; symbol of Davidic lineage
Root / Etymology
Hebrew root is likely יֵשׁ (yesh, 'there is' or 'existence'), but the precise etymology is uncertain. Some suggest a link with the meaning 'man' or 'being' due to the similarity with Aramaic personal names (e.g., אישי), but this is not definitively established.
Historical & Contextual Notes
יִשַׁי (Yishay) appears throughout the books of Samuel, Ruth, Chronicles, and Psalms as the name of David's father, with no direct semantic meaning apart from being a personal name. In biblical genealogies and narratives, its importance lies in establishing the Davidic line. Later tradition, including Greek and Latin translations, renders the name as 'Iessai' (LXX) or 'Jesse' (Vulgate), but in Israelite context it is always Yishay. The term functions only as a name and not as a title or common noun. References to Jesse or Yishay in later periods take on symbolic or liturgical meaning (e.g., 'root of Jesse'), but this secondary development does not alter its core identity as a personal name. English translations typically use 'Jesse,' an anglicization of the later Greek and Latin forms.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
by Aramaic אִישַׁי; from the same as יֵשׁ; extant; Jishai, David's father; Jesse.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ישׁ (y-š) — to exist, there is, existence
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3448-04 |
יִשַׁ֣י | yishay | HNp |
Jesse | Yishay | 38 |
H3448-01 |
לְ/יִשַׁ֖י | leyishay | HR/Np |
of Jesse | to Yishay | 2 |
H3448-02 |
וְ/אִישַׁ֛י | veishay | HC/Np |
and Jesse | and Yishay | 1 |
H3448-03 |
וְ/יִשַׁ֖י | veyishay | HC/Np |
and Jesse | and Yishay | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
42 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3448-04 |
1 Samuel 16:1 | יִשַׁ֣י | yishay | HNp |
Jesse | Yishay |
H3448-01 |
1 Samuel 16:3 | לְ/יִשַׁ֖י | leyishay | HR/Np |
to-Jesse | to Yishay |
H3448-04 |
1 Samuel 16:5 | יִשַׁי֙ | yishay | HNp |
Jesse | Yishay |
H3448-04 |
1 Samuel 16:8 | יִשַׁי֙ | yishay | HNp |
Jesse | Yishay |
H3448-04 |
1 Samuel 16:9 | יִשַׁ֖י | yishay | HNp |
Jesse | Yishay |
H3448-04 |
1 Samuel 16:10 | יִשַׁ֛י | yishay | HNp |
Jesse | Yishay |
H3448-04 |
1 Samuel 16:10 | יִשַׁ֔י | yishay-2 | HNp |
Jesse | Yishay |
H3448-04 |
1 Samuel 16:11 | יִשַׁי֮ | yishay | HNp |
Jesse | Yishay |
H3448-04 |
1 Samuel 16:11 | יִשַׁי֙ | yishay-2 | HNp |
Jesse | Yishay |
H3448-01 |
1 Samuel 16:18 | לְ/יִשַׁי֮ | leyishay | HR/Np |
of Jesse | to Yishay |