Jeshishai is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Jeshishai was a descendant of Benjamin, mentioned in the genealogies of the tribe in 1 Chronicles. He appears in a lineage recorded in 1 Chronicles 5:14, which traces the ancestry of certain men in the tribe of Gad. The text reads: “These are the children of Abihail the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz.” Jeshishai is thus named as the son of Jahdo and the father of Michael, standing several generations back in this family line.
The setting of this genealogy is the broader record of the tribes of Israel, specifically the descendants of Gad who lived in the region of Bashan and Gilead. The chronicler lists these names to establish tribal identity, inheritance, and continuity for the post-exilic community. Jeshishai himself is not described as performing any deed, holding any office, or speaking any word. Scripture says nothing of him beyond his place in this ancestral chain. He is one link in a long genealogy, remembered only because his name was preserved in the record of God’s people.
What Scripture says of Jeshishai is therefore minimal: he was a descendant of Benjamin, a father in the line leading to Abihail, and a member of the generations whose names were kept for the sake of Israel’s tribal heritage. His life is hidden in the larger story of God’s covenant people, but his name remains inscribed in the sacred text.
The Name
The name Jeshishai is a Hebrew name, but its precise meaning is not clearly recoverable from the biblical text or from standard lexical sources. Various suggestions have been offered by scholars, often connecting it to roots related to “old” or “aged,” but no meaning is well established with confidence. It is best to say plainly that the meaning of this name is uncertain and should not be asserted as though it were known.
A Closing Thought
Jeshishai is a reminder that most of God’s faithful people are not remembered for great deeds or famous words. He appears once in Scripture, tucked inside a genealogy, with no story attached. Yet his name was preserved because he belonged to the people of God, and that belonging was enough. In the same way, our lives may feel hidden and ordinary, but we are known by God and written into His story. Faithfulness in obscurity is still faithfulness, and the Lord does not forget those who belong to Him.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- 1 Chronicles 5:14 — These are the children of Abihail the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz;