Boy Old Testament Rare
Ishmaiah
hearing or obeying the Lord
יִשְׁמַעְיָ֫הוּ yish.ma.yah
Ishmaiah (Hebrew: יִשְׁמַעְיָ֫הוּ, yish.ma.yah) means “hearing or obeying the Lord”, by traditional interpretation. Two men in scripture bear the name; the best attested is a king. In United States birth records the name is below the reporting threshold. Appears with Abishai in 1 Chronicles 12.
Which Ishmaiah?
Two men in scripture bear this name. Here is each of them.
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Ishmaiah
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Ishmaiah
son of Obadiah
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 2 across 1 book
- Bearers
- 2 distinct people in scripture
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Divided Kingdom
Using it today
In United States birth records this name is below the reporting threshold. The Social Security Administration does not publish counts under five, so a name given to four children looks the same as one given to none.
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | 1 Chronicles 12:4 |
| Last appears | 1 Chronicles 27:19 |
| Cross-references | 4 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Jerimoth co-occurrence Appears with Jerimoth in 1 Chronicles 27.
- Jahaziel co-occurrence Appears with Jahaziel in 1 Chronicles 12.
- Johanan co-occurrence Appears with Johanan in 1 Chronicles 12.
- Azriel co-occurrence Appears with Azriel in 1 Chronicles 27.
- Obadiah co-occurrence Appears with Obadiah in 1 Chronicles 27.
- Jozabad co-occurrence Appears with Jozabad in 1 Chronicles 12.
- Jeremiah co-occurrence Appears with Jeremiah in 1 Chronicles 12.
- Jeremoth co-occurrence Appears with Jeremoth in 1 Chronicles 27.
Origin & meaning
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.12.4
§ Ishmaiah = "Jehovah will hear"
1) a Gibeonite and one of David's mighty warriors
2) a son of Obadiah and the ruler of the tribe of Zebulun in the time of king David
Ishmaiah the Gibeonite was a mighty warrior among the Thirty who joined David at Ziklag.
The biblical story
Ishmaiah the Gibeonite is mentioned in 1Ch.12.4 as one of the mighty warriors who joined David at Ziklag. He is described as a Gibeonite, indicating that he was from the city of Gibeon, which had made a treaty with Israel during the conquest of Canaan (Josh.9).
Ishmaiah is listed among the Benjamites who came to support David while he was hiding from King Saul. These men are described as brave warriors, armed with bows, and able to shoot arrows or sling stones right-handed or left-handed (1Ch.12.2).
The text highlights Ishmaiah's skill and prowess in battle by including him among the Thirty, an elite group of David's warriors. His presence among David's supporters demonstrates that David attracted valiant men from various tribes who recognized him as God's chosen leader for Israel.
No other details are provided about Ishmaiah's life or specific actions. His inclusion in this list emphasizes the diverse and capable group of warriors who helped David establish his kingdom.
Key verses
Ishmaiah appears in 1 verse. Here are some of the most notable:
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And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite,
1 Chronicles 12:4
Show all 1 reference
1 Chronicles (1)
- 1 Chronicles 12:4