יִשַׁי41 H3448
Jesse — the Bethlehemite father of King David, grandson of Ruth and Boaz
Yishai (Jesse) is the father of David and grandson of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:17, 22), anchoring the royal line in the story of Moabite redemption. His name appears 42 times, predominantly in 1 Samuel 16-17 where Samuel is sent to anoint a king from his house. The patronymic ben-Yishai ('son of Jesse') becomes a loaded political designation: Saul uses it dismissively (1 Sam 20:27, 30; 22:7-8), and Sheba's rebel cry 'we have no portion in the son of Jesse' (2 Sam 20:1) echoes into the northern secession. Isaiah's 'shoot from the stump of Jesse' (11:1, 10) transformed the name into a messianic symbol.
Senses
1. Jesse (father of King David) — The proper name Yishai, the Bethlehemite father of David, descended from Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:17, 22). All 42 occurrences denote this single individual. Functions as narrative identifier (1 Sam 16:1-3) and politically charged patronymic — Saul's dismissive 'son of Jesse' (1 Sam 22:7-8) contrasts with the messianic 'root of Jesse' (Isa 11:10). 42×
AR["لِـ-يَسَّى", "يَسَّى"]·ben["যিশয়", "যিশয়কে", "যিশয়ের"]·DE["Isai"]·EN["Jesse", "Yishai"]·FR["Isaï"]·heb["ישי", "ל-ישי"]·HI["यिशै", "यिशै-क", "यिशै-के", "यिशै-को", "यिशै-ने"]·ID["Isai"]·IT["Isai"]·jav["Isai"]·KO["이새", "이새가", "이새를", "이새를-", "이새의"]·PT["Yishai", "Yishay", "a-Yishai"]·RU["Ишай", "Ишаю", "Ишая", "Йишая"]·ES["Yishai", "a-Yishai"]·SW["Yese", "Yishai"]·TR["Yişay", "Yişay'ın", "Yişay-ye", "Yişay-yi", "Yişay-ın"]·urd["یسّی", "یسّی-نے", "یسّی-کا", "یسّی-کو", "یسّی-کے", "یسی", "یسی-کا"]
Ruth 4:17, Ruth 4:22, Ruth 4:22, 1 Sam 16:1, 1 Sam 16:3, 1 Sam 16:5, 1 Sam 16:8, 1 Sam 16:9, 1 Sam 16:10, 1 Sam 16:10, 1 Sam 16:11, 1 Sam 16:11 (+30 more)
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
יִשַׁי41 n.pr.m. father of David (etym. dub.; Ol§ 277 f. conj. יֵשׁ יָהּ; We 1 S 14:49 ישׁי = אישׁי = אבישׁי (but see this))—יִשַׁי 1 S 16:3 + 29 times; יִשָׁ֑י v 19 + 10 times; 𝔊 Ιεσσαι; (וְ)אִישַׁי 1 Ch 2:13;—+ יִשַׁי בֵּית־הַלַּחְמִי Jesse the Bethlehemite 1 S 16:1, 18 (בֶּן־ישׁי וגו׳, of David), 17:58†; ישׁי also 16:3 + 14 times 1 S 16, 17; †son of עוֹבֵד according to Ru 4:17, 22(×2) = 1 Ch…