Original Word: יְשֻׁרוּן
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Yshuruwn
Pronunciation: yeh-shoo-ROON
Phonetic Spelling: (yesh-oo-roon')
KJV: Jeshurun
NASB: Jeshurun
Word Origin: [from H3474 (יָשַׁר - right)]

1. upright
2. Jeshurun, a symbol. name for Israel

Jeshurun

From yashar; upright; Jeshurun, a symbol. Name for Israel -- Jeshurun.

see HEBREW yashar

Word Origin
from yashar
Definition
"upright one," poetic name for Isr.
NASB Translation
Jeshurun (4).

יְשֻׁרוּן proper name, masculine (upright one) Deuteronomy 32:15; Deuteronomy 33:5,26; Isaiah 44:2; poetic name of Israel, designating it under its ideal character,ᵐ5 ὁ ἠγαπημένος, Aq Symm Theod εὐθύς, ᵑ9 rectissimus, dilectus; Thes Ew^{§ 167 a} Lag^{BN 33} regard it as diminutive from יָשׁוּר = good little people; but no evidence that וּן#NAME?^{§ 86} (2). 4 take as denominative = Rechtvolk; Bacher^{ZAW v, 1885, 161 ff.} and Che rightly compare סֵפֶר הַיָּשָׁר (see יָשָׁר 3e).

Definition and Conceptual Meaning

“Jeshurun” is a poetic covenant title bestowed upon the nation of Israel, stressing the calling to uprightness and covenant fidelity. It evokes Israel in its ideal state—straight, righteous, devoted to God.

Canonical Placement and Frequency

The name surfaces only four times, each in the Hebrew Scriptures: Deuteronomy 32:15; 33:5; 33:26; and Isaiah 44:2. All occurrences are set in pivotal passages that rehearse Israel’s past and anticipate her future, highlighting Yahweh’s kingship, Israel’s vocation, and divine faithfulness.

Literary Context in Deuteronomy

1. Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:15)

“But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; you waxed fat, bloated, and gorged! Then he abandoned the God who made him and scorned the Rock of his salvation.”

Placed within Moses’ covenant lawsuit, the term exposes Israel’s tragic drift from her divinely intended character. By juxtaposing “Jeshurun” with apostasy, Moses underscores the dissonance between calling and conduct.

2. Blessing of Moses (Deuteronomy 33:5, 26)

“So the LORD became King in Jeshurun when the leaders of the people gathered, together with the tribes of Israel.”

“There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your aid, and the clouds in His majesty.”

Here the designation articulates national unity under divine monarchy. The blessings anticipate conquest, rest, and perpetual assistance from the transcendent yet accessible God. The two verses frame Moses’ final benediction, transforming the earlier rebuke (32:15) into a renewed assurance of God’s reign and might on Israel’s behalf.

Prophetic Reassurance in Isaiah

Isaiah 44:2 employs the moniker in an oracle of comfort to the Babylonian exiles:

“Do not be afraid, O Jacob My servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen.”

The prophet weaves “Jeshurun” into a message of creative grace—“who formed you from the womb”—and covenant election. The word functions as a pastoral balm, recalling Israel’s intended rectitude and forecasting spiritual renewal through the promised outpouring of the Spirit (Isaiah 44:3–5).

Theological Themes

1. Covenant Identity

Jeshurun encapsulates Israel’s status as the treasured possession of Yahweh (Deuteronomy 7:6). It signals the expectation that the nation reflect divine righteousness among the nations (Exodus 19:5–6; Leviticus 19:2).

2. Kingship of God

In Deuteronomy 33:5 the LORD “became King in Jeshurun,” foreshadowing the theocratic ideal later embodied in the monarchy, fulfilled supremely in the Messianic reign (Psalm 2; Zechariah 14:9).

3. Divine Faithfulness versus Human Infidelity

The ironic tension in Deuteronomy 32:15 portrays how prosperity can dull spiritual vigilance. Yet God’s steadfast love prevails, as Isaiah 44 shows, ensuring that failure does not nullify promise (Romans 11:29).

4. Salvation History Trajectory

The sequence—rebellion, blessing, restoration—mirrors the larger biblical narrative culminating in the New Covenant, where the uprightness envisioned in “Jeshurun” is realized in Messiah and extended to all who believe (Jeremiah 31:31–34; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

Contrast Between Ideal and Reality

Jeshurun’s lapses warn against presumption. Material abundance must not displace dependence on the “Rock of salvation.” The name thus serves as both commendation and critique—celebrating God’s grace while exposing hypocrisy.

Implications for Worship and Pastoral Ministry

• Call to Holiness: Congregations are summoned to embody the uprightness signified by Jeshurun, reflecting God’s character in word and deed (1 Peter 1:15–16).
• Dependence on Divine Aid: Deuteronomy 33:26 inspires prayerful confidence that the God who “rides the heavens” still intervenes powerfully for His people.
• Hope for Restoration: Isaiah 44:2 encourages ministry among the wayward, affirming that God’s election and formation are irrevocable and gracious.
• Teaching Stewardship: The warning of 32:15 supports instruction on the spiritual perils of complacency amid success.

Summary

Jeshurun is a covenant nickname for Israel that holds together vocation, failure, and future hope. From Moses to Isaiah, the title magnifies God’s unwavering kingship and faithfulness while challenging the community to live uprightly. For the church, it underscores both the continuity of God’s redemptive plan and the call to manifest the righteousness for which God’s people are named.

בִישֻׁר֖וּן בישרון וִישֻׁר֖וּן וישרון יְשֻׁר֑וּן יְשֻׁרוּן֙ ישרון ḇî·šu·rūn ḇîšurūn vishuRun wî·šu·rūn wîšurūn yə·šu·rūn yeshuRun yəšurūnInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts