Original Word: יִשְׁמְרַי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Yishmray
Pronunciation: yish-meh-RAY
Phonetic Spelling: (yish-mer-ah'-ee)
KJV: Ishmerai
NASB: Ishmerai
Word Origin: [from H8104 (שָׁמַר - keep)]

1. preservative
2. Jishmerai, an Israelite

Ishmerai

From shamar; preservative; Jishmerai, an Israelite -- Ishmerai.

see HEBREW shamar

Word Origin
from shamar
Definition
"preserver," a Benjamite
NASB Translation
Ishmerai (1).

יִשְׁמְרַי proper name, masculine in Benjamin, 1 Chronicles 8:18, Σαμαρει; A Ιεσαμαρι, ᵐ5^L Ιασσημαρι.

Biblical Context

Strong’s Hebrew 3461 appears once in Scripture, in 1 Chronicles 8:18. The verse records: “Ishmerai, Izliah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah” (Berean Standard Bible). The Chronicler is tracing the clan lists of the tribe of Benjamin, ultimately leading to King Saul (1 Chronicles 8:33). The single notice situates Ishmerai within a wider narrative that links the tribe to royal service, military exploits, and the preservation of covenant identity.

Genealogical Placement within Benjamin

• Grandfather: Elpaal (1 Chronicles 8:13).
• Father: Beriah, described as a chief who helped “drive out the inhabitants of Gath” (1 Chronicles 8:13).
• Brothers: Izliah and Joha (1 Chronicles 8:18).

By standing in this line, Ishmerai belongs to a family remembered for bold action against Philistine opposition. Even an otherwise “minor” individual shares in the larger testimony of Benjamin’s courage and God-enabled victories.

Historical Significance

Chronicles was compiled after the exile, when the returned community needed assurance that its tribal structures and covenant promises still held. Names such as Ishmerai serve as documentary anchors, verifying that Benjamin’s houses had not vanished. This record would have encouraged post-exilic readers that the same Lord who “kept” their forefathers continued to keep them.

Theological Themes: Divine Keeping

Although Scripture offers no personal exploits of Ishmerai, his very name reflects the theme of divine preservation. That theme saturates Scripture:
• “The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul” (Psalms 121:7).
• “He will guard the feet of His saints” (1 Samuel 2:9).

The appearance of a name proclaiming God’s protection, set amid a genealogy that culminates in Saul and ultimately in the Davidic promise, quietly reinforces confidence in God’s unfailing watchfulness over His people.

Ministry Reflections

1. Value of the Individual: Ishmerai’s sole biblical mention teaches that every member of God’s people is recorded and significant, even when public deeds are absent.
2. Corporate Memory: Genealogies help congregations remember that faith is lived within a account larger than any one generation.
3. Encouragement for Obscure Service: Many believers labor without headlines; Ishmerai reminds the church that God’s ledger is complete and accurate.

Related Scriptures on God’s Preservation

Psalms 121; Deuteronomy 33:12; Isaiah 26:3; John 17:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:3. These passages echo the promise embedded in Ishmerai’s name—that the Lord both guards and preserves His own through every season of redemptive history.

Summary

Ishmerai stands as a single line in a long genealogy, yet his placement affirms the continuity of Benjamin, the faithfulness of God to protect His covenant people, and the enduring worth of each person whose life is hidden with Christ in God.

וְיִשְׁמְרַ֧י וישמרי veyishmeRai wə·yiš·mə·ray wəyišmərayInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts