Original Word: יִשְׁפָּה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Yishpah
Pronunciation: YISH-pah
Phonetic Spelling: (yish-paw')
KJV: Ispah
NASB: Ishpah
Word Origin: [perhaps from H8192 (שָׁפָה - bare)]

1. he will scratch
2. Jishpah, an Israelite

Ispah

Perhaps from shaphah; he will scratch; Jishpah, an Israelite -- Ispah.

see HEBREW shaphah

Word Origin
from shaphah
Definition
"He sweeps," a Benjamite
NASB Translation
Ishpah (1).

יִשְׁמָּה proper name, masculine in Benjamin 1 Chronicles 8:16, Σαφαν, ᵐ5^L Ιεσφα. — יָָֽשְׁפֶה see above

II. שׁפה (compare Arabic stone (one of three) supporting kettle, Aramaic tripod, also תַּפְיָא fire-jar; hence perhaps as denominative Hebrew [שָׁפַת] q. v., Frä⁵³; compare II., Aramaic , תְּפִי set on a kettle or pot; see also GFM ^{Judges 5:16} RS^{Semitic i. 357, 2nd ed. 377}).

Biblical occurrence

The name יִשְׁפָּה (Ishpah) appears once in the Old Testament, in the Benjamite genealogy of 1 Chronicles 8:16: “Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were the sons of Beriah” (Berean Standard Bible).

Historical and tribal context

Ishpah belongs to the clan of Beriah, a branch of the tribe of Benjamin. The Chronicler is writing for the post-exilic community and draws heavily on earlier records to trace Benjamin’s lines from the patriarch Jacob through the divided kingdom and into the restoration period. Listing minor figures such as Ishpah serves at least three historical purposes:

1. Validation of territorial claims. Genealogies confirmed family holdings and inheritance rights as returning exiles resettled ancestral lands (Ezra 2:1).
2. Continuity of covenant identity. By preserving every strand of the tribal tapestry—even a single-versed Ishpah—the Chronicler stresses that God had not forgotten any household of His covenant people.
3. Restoration of civic leadership. Benjamin, once nearly extinguished (Judges 20), later supplied Israel with Saul, Mordecai, and the Apostle Paul. Ishpah’s listing signals the survival of the tribe and its potential to produce future servants of God.

Contribution to the Chronicler’s theology

1 Chronicles emphasizes divine faithfulness despite Israel’s failures. The Chronicler’s deliberate inclusion of lesser-known Benjamites highlights God’s meticulous providence. Every name, even one that never reappears in narrative, stands as a witness that “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29).

Intertextual considerations

Where Samuel accentuates military exploits and kingship, Chronicles underscores priestly worship and community order. In that context, Ishpah’s clan genealogy flows toward 1 Chronicles 8:28: “These were heads of families, chiefs according to their genealogies; they lived in Jerusalem.” The Chronicler draws a line from Ishpah’s branch to the capital city, underscoring Benjamin’s ongoing place beside Judah in temple service (2 Chronicles 11:1–12).

Redemptive-historical significance

1. Preservation of the remnant. Benjamin’s survival foreshadows the wider biblical pattern of a faithful remnant through whom Messiah comes.
2. Foreshadowing New Testament leadership. The Apostle Paul cites his Benjamite heritage (Philippians 3:5). The Chronicler’s record, including Ishpah, undergirds such claims.

Ministry and devotional application

• God notices the obscure. Ishpah’s single mention assures believers that no servant of God is forgotten or expendable (Hebrews 6:10).
• Faithfulness in the unseen. Many modern ministries resemble Ishpah—little acclaim, brief public record—yet they contribute to the larger account of salvation history.
• Genealogical treasure. Scripture’s long lists teach that redemption is anchored in real people, places, and times; Christian faith rests on historical fact, not myth.

Key truths for teaching and preaching

1. The smallest details of Scripture are inspired and profitable (2 Timothy 3:16).
2. Divine sovereignty preserves both nations and individuals for Kingdom purposes.
3. Genealogies remind congregations that God’s work spans generations; therefore present obedience seeds future revival.

וְיִשְׁפָּ֛ה וישפה veyishPah wə·yiš·pāh wəyišpāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts