Sheresh is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Sheresh was a descendant of Manasseh, mentioned in the genealogies of the tribe in 1 Chronicles. He appears in the family record of Machir, the son of Manasseh, whose household is traced in some detail in 1 Chronicles 7. The passage names Maachah, the wife of Machir, who bore a son named Peresh. Sheresh is then introduced as Peresh’s brother: “and the name of his brother was Sheresh.” The same verse adds that Sheresh’s sons were Ulam and Rakem, so the text presents him not only as a brother but also as a father whose line continued within Manasseh.
The setting of the verse is a genealogical record, one of the many lists of names that fill the opening chapters of 1 Chronicles. These chapters trace the tribes of Israel, anchoring the returned exiles in their ancestral heritage and showing how the families of the nation descended from the patriarchs. Within that record, Sheresh belongs to the clan of Manasseh, one of the two sons of Joseph. His mention comes amid the descendants of Machir, a prominent figure in Manasseh’s line, whose family is described with unusual fullness for a genealogy.
Scripture says very little about Sheresh himself. He is not credited with any deed, journey, or word. The single verse that names him gives only his relationship to Peresh and the names of his two sons, Ulam and Rakem. Everything known of him comes through this brief genealogical notice, which places him in the tribe of Manasseh and preserves the memory of his household among the families of Israel.
The Name
The name Sheresh is a Hebrew name, and its meaning is not clearly recoverable from the text. Hebrew names often carry meaning, and some suggest a connection to a root associated with “root” or “offshoot,” but this is not established with certainty. Because the exact sense of the name is uncertain, it is best to say so plainly rather than assign it a definite meaning. The text itself offers no interpretation of the name, and Scripture does not explain why it was given.
A Closing Thought
Most of us will never be remembered in a record like this one—a single line listing our parents, our siblings, and our children. Yet that is exactly how Sheresh appears in Scripture: not for what he accomplished, but for his place in a family and a people. His brief mention is a quiet reminder that faithfulness is often hidden, and that God remembers those the world overlooks. Long after his name would have been forgotten, it was written down and preserved. There is comfort in that for every ordinary life lived before God.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 7:16 — And Maachah the wife of Machir bare a son, and she called his name Peresh; and the name of his brother was Sheresh; and his sons were Ulam and Rakem.