תִּשְׁבִּי
𐤕𐤔𐤁𐤉
Tishebi
H8664 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Designation applied to an individual from Tishbeh, a locality likely situated in the region of Gilead; denotes geographic or familial origin relating to Tishbeh. In context, chiefly functions as a personal or ethnogeographic identification for Elijah, distinguishing him as an inhabitant or native of Tishbeh. The term is not a generic demonym but specifically designates ancestry or association with this otherwise little-attested locale.
Semantic Range
inhabitant of Tishbeh, native of Tishbeh, person from Tishbeh (in Gilead), Tishbite (personal designation for Elijah)
Root / Etymology
Formed from the root ישב (to dwell, inhabit), though the place name תִּשְׁבֵּה (Tishbeh) from which the term derives is otherwise unattested, and so the precise etymology remains uncertain. The suffix -ִי denotes origin or association with a location (patrial noun formation). The connection to 'recourse' is speculative and not supported by root analysis; more probably refers simply to the place Tishbeh.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Usage of תִּשְׁבִּי appears exclusively in reference to Elijah in narratives of the northern kingdom period (1 Kings 17:1, etc.), identifying him as a notable figure from Tishbeh in Gilead. The location of Tishbeh is not otherwise referenced in biblical or extrabiblical sources, and thus the demonym lacks a broader ethnic or tribal connotation beyond this personal application. In post-biblical Jewish tradition and translations, the term has sometimes been rendered as 'Tishbite' (following the Greek Tisbitēs in the Septuagint), but this obscures the original function as a precise geographic label. The term does not indicate religious identity or tribal affiliation, distinguishing origin rather than ethnicity. Later use of "Tishbite" as a generic ethnonym is anachronistic. English translations tend to follow the tradition of rendering the word as 'Tishbite,' which accurately reflects its function as a personal designation but leaves the specific location unspecified.
Translation Consistency
Most natural and established English rendering for a native/inhabitant of Tishbeh (as with Elijah). ‘Tishbite’ is a single-word, idiomatic designation used in standard English Bible translations and consistently conveys the ethnogeographic personal identification required for every occurrence.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
patrial from an unused name meaning recourse; a Tishbite or inhabitant of Tishbeh (in Gilead); Tishbite.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
ישב (Yoshiveyah) — to dwell, to settle, to inhabit, to cause to dwell
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3143 | יוֹשִׁבְיָה | Yahweh causes to dwell |
| H3428 | יֶשֶׁבְאָב | Dwelling-of-a-Father |
| H4186 | מוֹשָׁב | in their dwelling-places |
| H7871 | שִׁיבָה | in his dwelling |
| H8453 | תּוֹשָׁב | the resident aliens |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8664-01 |
הַ/תִּשְׁבִּ֜י | hatishebi | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Tishbite | the Tishbeh-dweller | the Tishebi | 6 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8664-01 |
1 Kings 17:1 | הַ/תִּשְׁבִּ֜י | hatishebi | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Tishbite | the Tishbeh-dweller | the Tishebi |
H8664-01 |
1 Kings 21:17 | הַ/תִּשְׁבִּ֖י | hatishebi | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Tishbite | the Tishbeh-dweller | the Tishebi |
H8664-01 |
1 Kings 21:28 | הַ/תִּשְׁבִּ֖י | hatishebi | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Tishbite | the Tishbeh-dweller | the Tishebi |
H8664-01 |
2 Kings 1:3 | הַ/תִּשְׁבִּ֔י | hatishebi | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Tishbite | the Tishbeh-dweller | the Tishebi |
H8664-01 |
2 Kings 1:8 | הַ/תִּשְׁבִּ֖י | hatishebi | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Tishbite | the Tishbeh-dweller | the Tishebi |
H8664-01 |
2 Kings 9:36 | הַ/תִּשְׁבִּ֖י | hatishebi | HTd/Ngmsa |
the Tishbite | the Tishbeh-dweller | the Tishebi |