Ishma is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Ishma was a descendant of Judah, mentioned in the genealogies of the tribe in 1 Chronicles. He appears in a brief genealogical record connected with a place or clan identified as “the father of Etam.” The passage reads, “And these were of the father of Etam; Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash: and the name of their sister was Hazelelponi” (1 Chronicles 4:3). This places Ishma among the families of Judah whose descendants were recorded as the tribe settled in its inherited territory.
The context of 1 Chronicles 4 is a register of the sons and clans of Judah, one of the largest and most prominent tribes of Israel. These genealogies served to document family lines, land associations, and the continuity of the people of God after the return from exile. Ishma is named alongside his brothers Jezreel and Idbash, and together they are linked to Etam, likely a town or district in the hill country of Judah. The mention of their sister Hazelelponi is unusual and noteworthy, since women are rarely named in these lists.
Scripture records nothing further about Ishma. He is not credited with any deed, speech, or event. He simply appears in the record of Judah’s descendants, one name among many in the long chain of God’s people. What Scripture says of him is limited to his name, his family connection, and his place in the tribe of Judah.
The Name
The Hebrew name Ishma is not clearly defined in the biblical text, and its meaning is not well established. Some have suggested a connection to words implying desolation or ruin, but this is uncertain and not reliably recoverable from the text itself. Unlike names such as Israel or Samuel, where Scripture supplies or strongly implies a meaning, the Bible offers no explanation for Ishma’s name. It is best to say plainly that the meaning is obscure and should not be asserted with confidence.
A Closing Thought
Most of us will never be remembered by crowds. Like Ishma, we may appear only in a family record, known to a few and unnamed in the grand stories of our time. Yet God keeps His own register. Every name in Judah’s line mattered because it belonged to the people through whom His promises would unfold. Ishma never spoke a recorded word or performed a recorded deed, but he was part of a story far larger than himself. Faithfulness often looks like simply belonging to God’s people and passing the inheritance on. That is no small thing in His eyes.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 4:3 — And these were of the father of Etam; Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash: and the name of their sister was Hazelelponi: