Original Word: יָשְׁבְּקָשָׁה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Yoshbqashah
Pronunciation: yosh-beh-kaw-shah'
Phonetic Spelling: (yosh-bek-aw-shaw')
KJV: Joshbekashah
NASB: Joshbekashah
Word Origin: [from H3427 (יָשַׁב - inhabitants) and H7186 (קָשֶׁה - hard)]

1. a hard seat
2. Joshbekashah, an Israelite

Joshbekashah

From yashab and qasheh; a hard seat; Joshbekashah, an Israelite -- Joshbekashah.

see HEBREW yashab

see HEBREW qasheh

Word Origin
from yashab and qasheh
Definition
"a hard seat," a son of Heman
NASB Translation
Joshbekashah (2).

יָשְׁבְּקָשָׁה proper name, masculine a son of Heman 1 Chronicles 25:4,24; ᵐ5 Ιειβασακα(ταν), Βακατα< ᵐ5^L Ιεσβοκ.

Name and Meaning

Yoshebekashah (יָשְׁבְּקָשָׁה) combines the ideas of “sitting/dwelling” and “hardship,” suggesting steadfastness in trying circumstances and foreshadowing the note of persevering praise that marked his family’s ministry.

Biblical Occurrences

• 1 Chronicles 25:4 lists him tenth among the fourteen sons of the Levitical singer Heman.
• 1 Chronicles 25:24 assigns him the seventeenth of the twenty-four courses of temple musicians: “The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, his sons and his relatives—twelve”.

Historical Context

King David, inspired by the Spirit, reorganized Israel’s worship to prepare for Solomon’s temple (1 Chronicles 23–26). Heman, a Kohathite descendant of Levi through Samuel, headed one of the three principal musical guilds. Yoshebekashah, therefore, stands in a line of prophetic musicians charged with sounding praise “day and night” in the sanctuary.

Ministry Role

Leader of the seventeenth division, Yoshebekashah directed twelve trained Levites who “prophesied with lyres, harps, and cymbals” (1 Chronicles 25:1). Their rotating schedule ensured continual worship, reinforcing that music in Israel was both artistic and revelatory—declaring God’s truth as well as His glory.

Prophetic Significance

The Chronicler repeatedly ties temple music to prophecy (1 Chronicles 25:2, 3, 5). Yoshebekashah’s service illustrates that true biblical worship weds skill to spiritual unction, a pattern echoed in Colossians 3:16 where song is a vehicle of the word of Christ.

Contribution to Davidic Reforms

David’s twenty-four courses democratized worship, spreading responsibility across many families and preventing elitism. By accepting his divinely assigned lot, Yoshebekashah exemplified humility and readiness, reminding believers that God orders both the timing and the sphere of ministry (Proverbs 16:33).

Legacy and Lessons

1. God notices the seemingly obscure servant; a name appearing only twice in Scripture is forever engraved in the record of redemption (Hebrews 6:10).
2. Worship thrives when nurtured in the family. Heman’s sons ministered “under the direction of their father,” modeling multigenerational discipleship (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).
3. Steadfast praise amid hardship mirrors the theological tension of Psalm 88 (attributed to Heman) and prepares the church to rejoice in suffering (1 Peter 4:13).

Application for Today

• Craft worship that is Scripture-saturated and Spirit-empowered.
• Value every participant, whether platformed or hidden.
• Structure ministry teams to allow continuous praise and shared labor.
• Mentor the next generation in both skill and devotion.

Though mentioned only in passing, Yoshebekashah stands as a quiet testament to ordered, resilient, prophetic worship at the heart of God’s covenant community.

יָשְׁבְּקָ֣שָׁה ישבקשה לְיָשְׁבְּקָ֔שָׁה לישבקשה lə·yā·šə·bə·qā·šāh ləyāšəbəqāšāh leyashebeKashah yā·šə·bə·qā·šāh yāšəbəqāšāh yashebeKashahInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts