יִשְׂרְאֵלִי (yis.r.e.li)
yis.r.e.li
Ishmaelite
N:N--PGQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--PG
Word Overview
The term yis.r.e.li functions as an ethnonym, identifying a person as an Ishmaelite, a descendant of Ishmael. This lineage traces back to Abraham and Hagar, establishing the speaker’s Arab heritage during the patriarchal era. The word appears only three times in the Hebrew Bible, marking specific historical interactions between Israel and these northern Arabian tribes.
Its rarity distinguishes it from more common tribal identifiers. In Leviticus 26:31, it describes the desolation of shrines by these groups, while in Second Samuel 23:11, an Ishmaelite is noted among David’s mighty men. This limited usage suggests the term served a precise contextual purpose rather than acting as a broad demographic label.
Etymologically, it derives from the name Ishmael, meaning "God hears." The suffix indicates belonging or origin, similar to how Israelite denotes one from Jacob. The sources highlight the familial connection between these groups and the patriarchs, yet maintain a clear distinction in identity and geography within the ancient Near East.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
An Ishmaelite carries a story in a single word. It speaks of a lineage that began with a desperate woman in the wilderness, calling out to the One who hears. Hagar named the well Beer Lahai Roi because she met the God who saw her, and her son’s name, Ishmael, means “God hears.” So when Scripture uses this rare term for a person, it echoes that primal promise: God’s ear is open beyond every boundary we might draw.
In the brief appearances of this word, we find people on the edges of Israel’s camp. One Ishmaelite woman gave birth to a son who grew up among the Hebrews, his mixed heritage a visible reminder that family lines do not limit God’s attention. Another, Ithra, stood among the mighty men of David’s army. The term does not appear often, but each occurrence whispers that heritage is never the whole story. For anyone who feels like an outsider in their own faith community, the Ishmaelite word holds a quiet comfort: the God who heard Hagar still hears you.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ Israelite[s]1×
- the/ Israelite [woman]1×
- the/ Israelite1×
- Israelite1×
- <the>/ Israelite1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יִשְׂרְאֵלִ֔ית1×
- הַ/יִּשְׂרְאֵלִֽי\׃1×
- הַ/יִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֤ית1×
- הַ/יִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֔ית1×
- הַ/יִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֔י1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 24:10
The son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel; and the son of the Israelite woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp.
Here the feminine form identifies the blasphemer’s mother as an Ishmaelite, underscoring a mixed ancestry that sits within Israel’s camp yet remains distinct.
-
Leviticus 24:11
The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name, and cursed; and they brought him to Moses. His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.
The repetition of the ethnonym in the same narrative reinforces that the woman’s Ishmaelite lineage is central to the identity of the one who cursed the Name.
-
II Samuel 17:25
Absalom set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite, who went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.
This occurrence attaches the adjective to Ithra, indicating his Ishmaelite descent while also connecting him by marriage to Joab’s family, a surprising integration into David’s inner circle.