אִישׁ (ish)
ish
man
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1,276 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew word ish denotes a male human being, serving as the primary term for man in contrast to woman. It appears over twelve hundred times in the Old Testament, frequently anchoring narratives in books like Judges and Samuel. The lexicons note that its meaning shifts with context: it can refer simply to biological maleness, as when Eve calls her son Cain a "man" (Genesis 4:1), or describe a husband within a marriage covenant.
Beyond gender, ish carries significant social weight. It often identifies a person of status, such as a champion, a mighty warrior, or a leader. In Judges, for example, the term highlights individuals like Gideon or Samson who act as deliverers for Israel. The sources also highlight its use for any individual regardless of rank, emphasizing personal agency and responsibility before God.
Etymologically, some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning "to be extant" or to exist, focusing on the reality of the person rather than just their gender. This breadth allows translators to render it variously as "man," "husband," "person," or even "someone," depending on whether the text emphasizes biological sex, marital role, or individual identity.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word ish refers to a male human being, yet its meaning shifts with context. It identifies biological maleness, as seen when Adam recognizes Eve, but also describes a husband within marriage or a leader with social standing. This flexibility reminds us that identity in Scripture is not fixed to one role; a person can be a son, a warrior, and a partner simultaneously.
In Genesis 6:9, Noah is called a righteous man who walked with God. This usage highlights personal responsibility before the Creator. Ish emphasizes that every individual has agency and moral weight. It invites us to see people not just as members of a group, but as distinct persons accountable to divine standards.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1,276 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a man170×
- man128×
- the/ man124×
- anyone119×
- each110×
- everyone104×
- [the] man of86×
- a person69×
- each one33×
- and/ a man27×
- each man19×
- a man of19×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אִ֣ישׁ254×
- אִ֥ישׁ133×
- אִ֖ישׁ103×
- אִישׁ\־68×
- אִ֔ישׁ59×
- אִ֛ישׁ47×
- אִישׁ֙45×
- אִ֑ישׁ39×
- אִ֤ישׁ37×
- אִ֨ישׁ33×
- אִֽישׁ\׃29×
- אִ֚ישׁ26×
Key Verses
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Genesis 6:9
This is the history of the generations of Noah: Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God.
This verse applies ish to Noah to emphasize his personal righteousness and moral agency before God, distinguishing him from the surrounding culture.
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Genesis 2:23
The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken out of Man.”
Adam uses this term to identify Eve as distinct from himself, establishing the foundational contrast between male and female humanity.
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Genesis 4:1
The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with Yahweh’s help.”
Eve declares she has acquired a man with Yahweh’s help, using the word to celebrate the birth of her son Cain as a distinct individual.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ish mean in Genesis 2:24?
Is ish only about gender?
How is ish different from adam?
Every Occurrence (1,276 verses across 36 books)
Genesis 96 verses
The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken…
Genesis 2:24Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh.
Genesis 3:6When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be…
Genesis 3:16To the woman he said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. You will bear children in pain. Your desire…
Genesis 4:1The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man with Yahweh’s help.”
Genesis 4:23Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice. You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, for I have slain a…
Genesis 6:9This is the history of the generations of Noah: Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah…
Genesis 7:2You shall take seven pairs of every clean animal with you, the male and his female. Of the animals that are not clean,…
Genesis 9:5I will surely require accounting for your life’s blood. At the hand of every animal I will require it. At the hand of…
Genesis 9:20Noah began to be a farmer, and planted a vineyard.
Genesis 10:5Of these were the islands of the nations divided in their lands, everyone after his language, after their families, in…
Genesis 11:3They said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they used…
Genesis 11:7Come, let’s go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.”
Genesis 13:11So Lot chose the Plain of the Jordan for himself. Lot traveled east, and they separated themselves from one another.
Genesis 13:16I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can count the dust of the earth, then your…
Genesis 15:10He brought him all these, and divided them in the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he didn’t divide…
Genesis 16:3Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and…
Genesis 19:8See now, I have two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them what seems good to…
Genesis 19:9They said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one fellow came in to live as a foreigner, and he appoints himself a…
Genesis 19:31The firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in to us in the way…
Genesis 20:7Now therefore, restore the man’s wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don’t…
Genesis 23:6“Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold…
Genesis 24:16The young lady was very beautiful to look at, a virgin. No man had known her. She went down to the spring, filled her…
Genesis 24:21The man looked steadfastly at her, remaining silent, to know whether Yahweh had made his journey prosperous or not.
Genesis 24:22As the camels had finished drinking, the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her…
Genesis 24:26The man bowed his head, and worshiped Yahweh.
Genesis 24:29Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban. Laban ran out to the man, to the spring.
Genesis 24:30When he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister,…
Genesis 24:32The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels. He gave straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his…
Genesis 24:58They called Rebekah, and said to her, “Will you go with this man?” She said, “I will go.”
Genesis 24:61Rebekah arose with her ladies. They rode on the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah, and went his…
Genesis 24:65She said to the servant, “Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.”…
Genesis 25:27The boys grew. Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field. Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents.
Genesis 26:11Abimelech commanded all the people, saying, “He who touches this man or his wife will surely be put to death.”
Genesis 26:13The man grew great, and grew more and more until he became very great.
Genesis 26:31They rose up some time in the morning, and swore an oath to one another. Isaac sent them away, and they departed from…
Genesis 27:11Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man.
Genesis 29:19Laban said, “It is better that I give her to you, than that I should give her to another man. Stay with me.”
Genesis 29:32Leah conceived, and bore a son, and she named him Reuben. For she said, “Because Yahweh has looked at my affliction;…
Genesis 29:34She conceived again, and bore a son. She said, “Now this time my husband will be joined to me, because I have borne him…
Genesis 30:15Leah said to her, “Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes,…
Genesis 30:18Leah said, “God has given me my hire, because I gave my servant to my husband.” She named him Issachar.
Genesis 30:20Leah said, “God has endowed me with a good dowry. Now my husband will live with me, because I have borne him six sons.”…
Genesis 30:43The man increased exceedingly, and had large flocks, female servants and male servants, and camels and donkeys.
Genesis 31:49and Mizpah, for he said, “Yahweh watch between me and you, when we are absent one from another.
Genesis 31:50If you afflict my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, no man is with us; behold, God is…
Genesis 33:1Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau was coming, and with him four hundred men. He divided the…
Genesis 34:14and said to them, “We can’t do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised; for that is a reproach to us.
Genesis 34:25On the third day, when they were sore, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword,…
Genesis 37:15A certain man found him, and behold, he was wandering in the field. The man asked him, “What are you looking for?”
Genesis 37:17The man said, “They have left here, for I heard them say, ‘Let’s go to Dothan.’” Joseph went after his brothers, and…
Genesis 37:19They said to one another, “Behold, this dreamer comes.
Genesis 38:1At that time, Judah went down from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
Genesis 38:2There, Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite man named Shua. He took her, and went in to her.
Genesis 38:25When she was brought out, she sent to her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man who owns these.” She also…
Genesis 39:1Joseph was brought down to Egypt. Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him…
Genesis 39:2Yahweh was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man. He was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
Genesis 39:11About this time, he went into the house to do his work, and there were none of the men of the house inside.
Genesis 39:14she called to the men of her house, and spoke to them, saying, “Behold, he has brought a Hebrew in to us to mock us. He…
Genesis 40:5They both dreamed a dream, each man his dream, in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the…
Genesis 41:11We dreamed a dream in one night, he and I. Each man dreamed according to the interpretation of his dream.
Genesis 41:12There was with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard, and we told him, and he interpreted…
Genesis 41:33“Now therefore let Pharaoh look for a discreet and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt.
Genesis 41:38Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?”
Genesis 41:44Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh. Without you, no man shall lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.”
Genesis 42:11We are all one man’s sons; we are honest men. Your servants are not spies.”
Genesis 42:13They said, “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and behold, the youngest…
Genesis 42:21They said to one another, “We are certainly guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul,…
Genesis 42:25Then Joseph gave a command to fill their bags with grain, and to restore each man’s money into his sack, and to give…
Genesis 42:28He said to his brothers, “My money is restored! Behold, it is in my sack!” Their hearts failed them, and they turned…
Genesis 42:30“The man, the lord of the land, spoke roughly with us, and took us for spies of the country.
Genesis 42:33The man, the lord of the land, said to us, ‘By this I will know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers…
Genesis 42:35As they emptied their sacks, behold, each man’s bundle of money was in his sack. When they and their father saw their…
Genesis 43:3Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is…
Genesis 43:5but if you don’t send him, we won’t go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is…
Genesis 43:6Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”
Genesis 43:7They said, “The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still…
Genesis 43:11Their father, Israel, said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take from the choice fruits of the land in your…
Genesis 43:13Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man.
Genesis 43:14May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am…
Genesis 43:17The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.
Genesis 43:19They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
Genesis 43:21When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our…
Genesis 43:24The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys…
Genesis 43:33They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men…
Genesis 44:1He commanded the steward of his house, saying, “Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each…
Genesis 44:11Then they hurried, and each man took his sack down to the ground, and each man opened his sack.
Genesis 44:13Then they tore their clothes, and each man loaded his donkey, and returned to the city.
Genesis 44:15Joseph said to them, “What deed is this that you have done? Don’t you know that such a man as I can indeed do…
Genesis 44:17He said, “Far be it from me that I should do so. The man in whose hand the cup is found, he will be my slave; but as…
Genesis 44:26We said, ‘We can’t go down. If our youngest brother is with us, then we will go down: for we may not see the man’s…
Genesis 45:1Then Joseph couldn’t control himself before all those who stood before him, and he called out, “Cause everyone to go…
Genesis 45:22He gave each one of them changes of clothing, but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes…
Genesis 47:20So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh, for every man of the Egyptians sold his field, because the famine…
Genesis 49:6My soul, don’t come into their council. My glory, don’t be united to their assembly; for in their anger they killed…
Genesis 49:28All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father spoke to them, and blessed them. He blessed…