יִשְׁפָּה
𐤉𐤔𐤐𐤄
Yishepah
H3472 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Yishpâh is a proper name designating an individual, most notably a descendant of Benjamin. As a personal name, its direct significance is not certain, though it may derive from the root meaning 'to scrape' or 'to scratch.' Unlike some biblical names which carry clear descriptive or theophoric meaning, Yishpâh primarily functions as a nominative identifier for the individual named in genealogical records.
Semantic Range
proper name, individual of tribal genealogy; etymological connection to 'to scrape,' but as a personal name, no direct semantic content apart from designation
Root / Etymology
Root/Etymology: From the root שָׁפָה (šaphah), meaning 'to scrape, to smooth, to sweep off.' The formation יִשְׁפָּה (Yishpâh) likely reflects a personal name created on the basis of this root, although its exact sense as a name is uncertain and may no longer hold a lexical meaning beyond identification.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Historical & Contextual Notes: יִשְׁפָּה appears only in genealogical lists, specifically in 1 Chronicles 8:16 as a Benjaminite ancestor. The meaning of the name may once have been descriptive or characteristic but is not transparently so to later readers. There is no evidence that this name was used outside genealogical references, nor that it bore additional significance, status, or title in ancient Israelite society. In contrast to names that include divine elements (theophoric), this name is ‘secular’ and pattern-matches other Israelite names based on roots describing actions or characteristics. English translations sometimes use the form 'Ispah,' but this is a simple phonetic rendering from the Hebrew and does not anchor the name to any specific meaning or tradition. The rendering ‘an Israelite’ in older concordances was intended to distinguish the bearer as a member of the Israelite people and is not a feature inherent to the Hebrew word.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
perhaps from שָׁפָה; he will scratch; Jishpah, an Israelite; Ispah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שׁפה (š-p-h) — to scrape, to smooth, to sweep off
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4942 | מִשְׁפָּת | the twin livestock-enclosures |
| H8192 | שָׁפָה | the stripped-bare one |
| H8195 | שְׁפוֹ | Bare-One |
| H8221 | שְׁפָם | from Shepham |
| H830 | אַשְׁפֹּת | the refuse-heap |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3472-01 |
וְ/יִשְׁפָּ֛ה | veyishepah | HC/Np |
and Ishpah | and Yishpah | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3472-01 |
1 Chronicles 8:16 | וְ/יִשְׁפָּ֛ה | veyishepah | HC/Np |
and Ishpah | and Yishpah |