Word Study for H3481 (יִשְׂרְאֵלִי)

Yisrᵉʼêlîy /yis-reh-ay-lee'/ Ask about this word

Meaninga Jisreelite or descendant of Jisrael

KJV usageof Israel, Israelite.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Yisrᵉʼêlîy — 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 Yisrᵉʼêlîy, represented by H3481, is a specific term defining an Israelite. Derived patronymically from H3478 Yisrâʼêl, its base definition is "a Jisreelite or descendant of Jisrael." It appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible. The word's primary function is to denote the national and ethnic identity of a male individual, marking them as a descendant of Israel.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical occurrences, H3481 is used to establish a person's lineage and community affiliation. In 2 Samuel 17:25, it identifies Ithra, who was made a captain in Absalom's army, as an Israelite. This detail provides crucial context about his background. In Leviticus 24:10, the term is used to describe the community, the "children of Israel," among whom a man of mixed parentage (Israelitish mother and Egyptian father) found himself in conflict. This context highlights the importance of clear national identity within the camp of Israel.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the concept of Israelite identity:

H3478 Yisrâʼêl (he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel): This is the foundational name for the nation and people from which the term H3481 is derived. God establishes his covenant with the house of Israel Jeremiah 31:33.
H3482 Yisrᵉʼêlîyth (a Jisreelitess or female descendant of Jisrael; Israelitish): This is the feminine counterpart, used to identify the mother in the Leviticus narrative as an Israelitish woman Leviticus 24:10.
H376 ʼîysh (a man as an individual or a male person): This word is often used to specify the individual being identified. In the conflict in the camp, the man of mixed heritage strove with a man of Israel Leviticus 24:10.
H4713 Mitsrîy (a Mitsrite, or inhabitant of Mitsrajim; Egyptian, of Egypt): This term provides a direct contrast in national identity. The father of the man who caused the strife in the camp was an Egyptian Leviticus 24:10.

Theological Significance

The use of H3481 carries specific weight in understanding identity within the biblical framework.

National and Lineal Identity: The word's main purpose is to draw clear lines of national and ancestral identity. It distinguishes Ithra as an Israelite 2 Samuel 17:25 and contrasts the community of Israel with the Egyptian heritage of the man's father in Leviticus Leviticus 24:10.
Defining the Community: By identifying someone as an Israelite, the term places them within the community of Israel H3478. The conflict described in Leviticus 24:10 occurs "among the children of Israel," underscoring that actions within this group were judged by its unique laws and standards.
Heritage in Conflict: The narrative in Leviticus directly involves a conflict rooted in heritage. The tension is between the son of an Israelitish woman H3482 and "a man of Israel," highlighting how mixed lineage could be a source of strife within the Israelite camp.

Summary

In summary, H3481 Yisrᵉʼêlîy is more than a simple label; it is a precise identifier of male lineage and national belonging. Though rare, its usage is powerful, serving to frame a person's role and background, as with Ithra the Israelite 2 Samuel 17:25. It also helps establish the boundaries of the covenant community, setting the stage for conflicts based on heritage, such as the one between the man of mixed parentage and the man of Israel Leviticus 24:10. The word shows how specific genealogical terms are vital for understanding relationships and identity among God's people.

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 5 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

יִשְׂרְאֵלִית
יִּשְׂרְאֵלִי
יִּשְׂרְאֵלִית

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Leviticus and 2 Samuel (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Leviticus

2 Samuel

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.