יְרַחְמְאֵלִי (ye.rach.me.e.li)
ye.rach.me.e.li
Jerahmeelite
N:N--PGQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--PG
Word Overview
The adjective yerachmeeli identifies someone belonging to the clan of Jerahmeel, a branch of the tribe of Judah. It functions as a tribal designation, pointing to descendants of Jerahmeel, who was the eldest son of Hezron and a great-grandson of Judah himself. The term appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in 1 Samuel 27:10.
In those verses, the Philistine king Achish asks David about his recent raids. David replies that he has attacked the southern regions inhabited by the gereshites, negebites, and mamittes, but notably omits any mention of the yerachmeelites. This silence is significant because it suggests David’s forces avoided conflict with this specific Judahite clan, perhaps due to their location in the Negev or existing alliances.
The name Jerahmeel itself carries a petitionary meaning, "may God have pity," which adds a layer of theological weight to the clan's identity. While the word yerachmeeli is rare, it anchors the narrative in the complex social landscape of pre-monarchic Judah, where tribal affiliations dictated both loyalty and conflict.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word yerachmeeli identifies a specific branch of Judah’s family tree, marking those who traced their lineage back to Jerahmeel, the eldest son of Hezron. In the ancient landscape of Israel, such tribal markers were more than just names; they defined community, loyalty, and shared heritage. When David navigated the dangerous politics of serving King Achish, this distinction mattered. It reminded readers that even in exile or disguise, one’s identity remained rooted in God’s covenantal promises to Judah.
For your faith today, this rare term highlights how God preserves distinct lines within His people. Just as the Jerahmeelites maintained their place in history despite living among other tribes, you too are part of a larger spiritual family. Your background and heritage matter to God, who weaves every tribe and tongue into His redemptive story. Trust that He knows your origins and has a purpose for your place within His church.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ Jerahmeelite[s]2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/יַּרְחְמְאֵלִ֔י1×
- הַ/יְּרַחְמְאֵלִ֔י1×
Key Verses
-
I Samuel 27:10
Achish said, “Against whom have you made a raid today?” David said, “Against the South of Judah, against the South of the Jerahmeelites, and against the South of the Kenites.”
This verse shows David carefully distinguishing the Jerahmeelites from other groups to reassure Achish of his limited raids, highlighting the clan's distinct territorial identity.
-
I Samuel 30:29
to those who were in Racal, to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, to those who were in the cities of the Kenites,
Here the term marks a specific group of allies who received plunder after David’s victory, showing their continued importance and loyalty to Judah’s leadership.