English · KJV
H3158

יִזְרְעֵאלִי

Yizrᵉʻêʼlîy /yiz-reh-ay-lee'/ Ask about this word
Rootpatronymically from יִזְרְעֵאל
Meaninga Jizreelite or native of Jizreel
KJV usageJezreelite.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Yizrᵉʻêʼlîy — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word Yizrᵉʻêʼlîy, represented by H3158, is a patronymic term meaning a Jizreelite or native of Jizreel. It appears 8 times across 8 unique verses in the Bible. This identifier is exclusively used to describe a single individual within a significant narrative, tying his identity directly to his place of origin.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H3158 is used to identify Naboth the Jezreelite. The story revolves around his vineyard H3754 located in Jezreel H3157 next to the palace of King Ahab 1 Kings 21:1. When Ahab attempts to acquire the land, Naboth refuses, stating, "I will not give H5414 thee the inheritance H5159 of my fathers" (1 Kings 21:4, 1 Kings 21:6). This refusal leads Ahab's wife, Jezebel, to orchestrate Naboth's death (1 Kings 21:7, 1 Kings 21:15). Subsequently, Ahab moves to take possession H3423 of the vineyard, an act for which divine judgment is pronounced upon his house (1 Kings 21:16, 2 Kings 9:25).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words are central to the account of the Jezreelite:

  • H5022 Nâbôwth (Naboth): This is the name of the Israelite identified as the Jezreelite. The entire narrative centers on his refusal to give his vineyard to King Ahab 1 Kings 21:1.
  • H3157 Yizrᵉʻêʼl (Jezreel): Meaning "God will sow," this is the name of the place from which the Jezreelite comes. The vineyard was located in Jezreel 1 Kings 21:1, and the city later becomes the site of judgment against Ahab's house 2 Kings 10:11.
  • H3754 kerem (vineyard): This word denotes a garden or vineyard. Ahab's desire for Naboth's vineyard is the catalyst for the entire series of events (1 Kings 21:2, 1 Kings 21:7).

Theological Significance

The story of the Jezreelite carries significant theological weight, illustrating key principles of Israelite faith and law.

  • Sanctity of Inheritance: Naboth's refusal is rooted in the concept of nachălâh H5159, or heritage. His land was not merely a personal possession to be sold for money H3701, but a sacred inheritance H5159 from his fathers H1, tied to God's covenant with Israel 1 Kings 21:3.
  • Abuse of Royal Power: The actions of Ahab H256 and Jezebel demonstrate a flagrant disregard for justice. They use their authority to kill H4191 an innocent man and take possession H3423 of his property, which brings a divine "burden" upon them 2 Kings 9:25.
  • Consequences of Covetousness: The narrative is a stark warning against coveting and the act of refusal H3985. Ahab's displeasure over not getting the vineyard leads to murder and, ultimately, the prophesied destruction of his dynasty (1 Kings 21:4, 1 Kings 21:19).

Summary

In summary, H3158 Yizrᵉʻêʼlîy is more than a simple descriptor of origin. It is inextricably linked to the person of Naboth and his tragic story. The term anchors a powerful biblical account of faith, greed, and divine justice, demonstrating how one man's faithfulness to his ancestral heritage H5159 exposed the corruption of a king and set in motion a chain of events that fulfilled God's judgment.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 13 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • יִּזְרְעֵאלִי
  • יִּזְרְעֵאלִית

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H3754 כֶּרֶם from an unused root of uncertain meaning; a garden or vineyard; vines, (increase of the) vineyard(-s), vintage. See also H3157 יִזְרְעֵאל from זָרַע and אֵל; God will sow; Jizreel, the name of two places in Palestine and of two Israelites; Jezreel. H5414 נָתַן a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, a H5159 נַחֲלָה from נָחַל (in its usual sense); properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom H3423 יָרַשׁ or יָרֵשׁ; a primitive root; to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, H5022 נָבוֹת feminine plural from the same as נֹב; fruits; Naboth, an Israelite; Naboth.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 8 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 1 Kings (6 verses); never once in the other 37.

6
1 Kings
2
2 Kings

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.