Ishpan is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Ishpan was a descendant of Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob, and he is named among the genealogies of the tribe of Benjamin recorded in 1 Chronicles. The genealogies in this section of Scripture trace the families and clans of Benjamin, preserving the names of individuals who made up the tribe during the period of Israel’s history before and during the monarchy. Ishpan appears in a list of Benjamite men, and beyond his name and tribal affiliation, the biblical text tells us nothing further about his life, occupation, or deeds.
Ishpan is mentioned alongside two other men, Heber and Eliel, in 1 Chronicles 8:22. This verse falls within a longer genealogy that identifies various “sons” or descendants of Benjamin, listing them by family groupings. The passage reads simply, “And Ishpan, and Heber, and Eliel.” These men are listed without narrative, without recorded actions, and without any further description of their character or circumstances. They are names in a lineage, not figures in a story.
What Scripture says of Ishpan, then, is minimal: he was a Benjamite, counted among the descendants of Benjamin, and his name was preserved in Israel’s tribal records. He did not perform any deed that Scripture records, nor is he associated with any event, miracle, or teaching. His inclusion in the genealogy demonstrates the care with which the biblical writers preserved the family lines of Israel, and it places him within the covenant community of God’s people. The name appears only once in the King James Bible, in this single genealogical verse.
The Name
The Hebrew name Ishpan is of uncertain meaning. It is not clearly recoverable from the biblical text or from standard Hebrew lexicons, and no well-established translation or definition is available. Some names in Scripture carry transparent meanings tied to Hebrew roots, but Ishpan is not one of them. Rather than assign it a meaning that the text does not support, it is best to acknowledge plainly that the significance of this name is unknown. What matters for the reader is not the etymology of the name but the fact that Ishpan belonged to the people of God.
A Closing Thought
Most of us will never be remembered in a genealogy, let alone in Scripture. Ishpan’s entire legacy in the Bible is a single mention in a list of names. Yet that mention matters: he was counted among God’s people, part of the tribe of Benjamin, woven into the story of redemption. His life reminds us that faithfulness is not measured by fame or by how much is recorded about us. The quiet, unnamed lives of ordinary believers are held in the memory of God, who knows each of us by name.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 8:22 — And Ishpan, and Heber, and Eliel,