Igeal is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Igeal was a descendant of David, listed in the genealogies of the tribe of Judah in 1 Chronicles. He appears in the record of the line of Shechaniah, within the larger Davidic genealogy that the Chronicler sets out as the book opens. This placement matters: the genealogies of 1 Chronicles trace the family line through which God’s covenant promise to David was carried forward, and Igeal is named among those branches.
According to 1 Chronicles 3:22, Igeal was one of the sons of Shemaiah, who was himself a son of Shechaniah. The verse lists Shemaiah’s sons as Hattush, Igeal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat—six in all, counted with Shemaiah himself in the tally. Igeal is therefore the third son named in that list, a member of the post-exilic generation of David’s descendants. The setting is the returned community of Judah, and the Chronicler is careful to preserve the family records of the royal line.
Scripture says nothing further about Igeal. He is not recorded as performing any deed, holding any office, or speaking any word. He appears once in the King James Bible, in this single genealogy, and then the record moves on. What Scripture says of him is simply that he existed, that he belonged to the house of David, and that his name was preserved among the people of God.
The Name
The Hebrew name Igeal (also rendered Igal or Jekal in various translations) is generally understood to derive from a root meaning “to redeem” or “to ransom,” with the likely sense of “He redeems” or “He will redeem,” possibly with God as the subject. The meaning is not as firmly settled as some Hebrew names, and scholars have proposed related readings such as “He avenges” or “He vindicates.” Because the exact nuance is debated, it is best to say that the name most likely carries the idea of redemption or vindication, but its precise meaning cannot be stated with full certainty.
A Closing Thought
Most of the people in Scripture are like Igeal: a name in a list, a life we know almost nothing about. Yet his name was written down and kept for centuries among the people of God. That is a quiet comfort. You do not need to be famous, powerful, or remembered by the world to be known by God. The One who redeems—the very hope that Igeal’s name may carry—keeps His own, even when the record of their days is short. Faithfulness in obscurity is still faithfulness, and it is not forgotten.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 3:22 — And the sons of Shechaniah; Shemaiah: and the sons of Shemaiah; Hattush, and Igeal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six.