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קִישׁ

𐤒𐤉𐤔

Qish

H7027 noun

SILEX Entry

Root קוש uncertain, possibly to lay bait, ensnare, bend (if related to קוש); no common meaning for the proper name

Definition

Qîysh (Kish) is a proper name, functioning as a personal name of several Israelite men in the Hebrew Bible. Its semantic range encompasses designation as the father of Shaul (Saul), the first Israelite king, as well as additional Israelite figures from various tribal lineages. Outside of its use as a name, there is no independent attested common noun with this vocalization in biblical Hebrew. While Strong presumed a link to 'bow,' this is not linguistically supported for the personal name.

Semantic Range

proper name of several Israelite men, specifically the father of Saul; name in genealogical contexts; not attested as a common noun

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root קוש (qush), meaning uncertain. The base root is rare in biblical Hebrew and possible meanings include 'to lay bait, ensnare' or 'to bend,' but these are not directly attested with this specific form or spelling. The connection suggested in older sources between קִישׁ and the noun for 'bow' is linguistically tenuous. In sum, the root is קוש (qush), but the etymology of the personal name Qîysh is uncertain and likely unrelated to the term for 'bow.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

קִישׁ (Qîysh) appears in narratives from the monarchic period (notably as Shaul's father in 1 Samuel) as well as in later genealogical lists (e.g., in Ezra-Nehemiah and 1 Chronicles). The name designates individuals from the tribe of Benjamin but also is associated with other lineages (e.g., a Levite in 1 Chronicles 23:21). There is no indication in the Hebrew Bible that the name Qîysh carried the meaning 'bow' in the context of these individuals. Later English translations occasionally render the name as 'Kish' directly, but attempts to analyze or translate the name beyond its function as a personal name are not supported by lexical or contextual evidence. Unlike some Israelite names, no clear theophoric or descriptive meaning is apparent. The assertion in some older lexicons that Qîysh derives from a word for 'bow' reflects a misreading or overextension of root analysis. The name is to be understood as a proper noun within the biblical context, marking a person rather than carrying an active meaning related to an object or action.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from קוֹשׁ; a bow; Kish, the name of five Israelites; Kish.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

קוש (q-w-sh) — uncertain; possibly to lay bait, ensnare, bend

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6984 קוּשָׁיָהוּ Yahweh has snared

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7027-02 קִ֣ישׁ qish HNp Kish Qish 13
H7027-03 וְ/קִ֧ישׁ veqish HC/Np and Kish and Qish 6
H7027-01 לְ/קִ֖ישׁ leqish HR/Np of Kish to Qish 2

Occurrences in Scripture

21 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7027-02 1 Samuel 9:1 קִ֣ישׁ qish HNp Kish Qish
H7027-01 1 Samuel 9:3 לְ/קִ֖ישׁ leqish HR/Np of Kish to Qish
H7027-02 1 Samuel 9:3 קִ֜ישׁ qish HNp Kish Qish
H7027-02 1 Samuel 10:11 קִ֔ישׁ qish HNp Kish Qish
H7027-02 1 Samuel 10:21 קִ֔ישׁ qish HNp of Kish Qish
H7027-03 1 Samuel 14:51 וְ/קִ֧ישׁ veqish HC/Np and Kish and Qish
H7027-02 2 Samuel 21:14 קִ֣ישׁ qish HNp of Kish Qish
H7027-02 Esther 2:5 קִ֖ישׁ qish HNp Kish Qish
H7027-03 1 Chronicles 8:30 וְ/קִ֖ישׁ veqish HC/Np and Kish and Qish
H7027-02 1 Chronicles 8:33 קִ֔ישׁ qish HNp Kish Qish
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