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H3252

יִסְכָּה

Yiçkâh /yis-kaw'/ Ask about this word
from an unused root meaning to watch
observant; Jiskah, sister of Lot
Iscah.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Yiçkâh — 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 name Yiçkâh, represented by H3252, is defined as observant. It appears only 1 time in a single verse in the Bible. This name refers to the person Iscah, who is identified as the sister of Lot and the daughter of Haran.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The single appearance of H3252 is in a genealogical account in Genesis. The verse establishes the family lines of Terah's sons, Abram and Nahor, noting that they both took wives. The passage explicitly identifies Iscah as the daughter of Haran, alongside her sister Milcah, who married their uncle Nahor. This mention firmly places Iscah within the patriarchal family tree, identifying her as the niece of Abram Genesis 11:29.

Related Words & Concepts

Iscah's identity is established through her relationships with several key figures mentioned in the same verse:

  • H2039 Hârân: Defined as mountaineer, Haran is named as the father of both Iscah and her sister Milcah Genesis 11:29. This establishes her direct parentage.
  • H4435 Milkâh: Meaning queen, Milcah is Iscah's sister and is noted as the wife of Nahor Genesis 11:29. Her marriage is a central point of the passage.
  • H5152 Nâchôwr: The brother of Abram and Haran, whose name means snorer. He took Iscah's sister, Milcah, as his wife Genesis 11:29, making him Iscah's uncle by birth and brother-in-law by marriage.
  • H1 ʼâb: This word for father is used to connect Iscah directly to Haran. The text specifies Haran as "the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah" Genesis 11:29, emphasizing his role as their progenitor.

Theological Significance

While not a central character, the inclusion of H3252 has significance in the biblical record.

  • Genealogical Completeness: Iscah's mention provides a complete account of Haran's children alongside Milcah and Lot Genesis 11:27. Her presence helps to precisely map the family relationships surrounding Abram before his departure from Ur.
  • Patriarchal Lineage: The verse where Iscah is named focuses on the founding of the next generation of Terah's family, with Abram and Nahor taking wives Genesis 11:29. Iscah's inclusion in this record underscores her place within this pivotal lineage.
  • Observant Identity: The definition of her name as observant suggests a personal characteristic. Although the narrative does not expand on this, the name itself serves as a marker of her identity.

Summary

In summary, H3252 is the proper name Iscah, a figure mentioned once but who holds a distinct place in the patriarchal narrative. Her inclusion in Genesis 11:29 is vital for clarifying the family structure of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Although her story is not detailed, her name is recorded, ensuring the genealogical record of Haran's descendants is preserved within the foundational chapters of Genesis.

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 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — 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.

  • יִסְכָּה

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.

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

1 verse, all in Genesis — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

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.