Original Word: קִישׁ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Qiysh
Pronunciation: keesh
Phonetic Spelling: (keesh)
KJV: Kish
NASB: Kish
Word Origin: [from H6983 (קוֹשׁ - ensnare)]

1. a bow
2. Kish, the name of five Israelites

Kish

From qowsh; a bow; Kish, the name of five Israelites -- Kish.

see HEBREW qowsh

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
father of Saul, also the name of several other Isr.
NASB Translation
Kish (21).

קִישׁ proper name, masculine (probably *קַיְשְׁ Arabic Aramaic קישׁא Nö^{ZMG xi (1896), 167} originally proper name, of deity as Arabic which now only in proper name, of person We^{Heid. 2. 67}); — K(ε)ις:

1 father of Saul 1 Samuel 9:1,3(twice in verse); 1 Samuel 10:11,21; 1 Samuel 14:51; 2 Samuel 21:14; 1 Chronicles 8:30,33 (where read אַבְנֵר Be Kau Kit), 1 Chronicles 8:33 = 1 Chronicles 9:36,39 (read as above), 1 Chronicles 9:39; 1 Chronicles 12:1; 1 Chronicles 26:28.

2 Levites :

a. 1 Chronicles 23:21,22; 1 Chronicles 24:29 (twice in verse).

b.2Chronicles 29:12.

3 ancestor of Mordecai Esther 2:5 (Κεισαίου).

Kish (Strong’s Hebrew 7027 קִישׁ)

Benjamite Head of the First Royal House

The narrative introduction to Saul’s family begins: “Now there was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel…” (1 Samuel 9:1-2). Kish possessed servants, herds, and the influence that accompanies both. When “the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost” (1 Samuel 9:3), the ordinary chore of retrieval became the providential means by which Saul met Samuel and was anointed king.

Kish’s lineage is traced four generations back to Aphiah (1 Samuel 9:1) and later forward through Ner, the father of Abner (1 Samuel 14:51). These interwoven lines explain how Saul’s commander, Abner, was also Saul’s cousin. The Chronicler repeats the genealogy (1 Chronicles 8:33; 9:39), preserving tribe and family for post-exilic Israel.

After Saul and Jonathan fell on Mount Gilboa, their bones were finally “buried…in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish” (2 Samuel 21:14), a sepulcher located at Zela in Benjamin. The resting place of the first royal household inside its ancestral territory underlines the enduring tribal identity of the monarchy.

Kish and the Temple Treasures

When David organized the gatekeepers and treasurers, the record notes, “Everything dedicated by Samuel the seer, Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah…was under the care of Shelomith and his brothers” (1 Chronicles 26:28). Although Saul himself often failed to honour the LORD, his gifts—identified by his father’s name—were nevertheless received and guarded for future sanctuary use. Divine purposes advance despite human inconsistency.

Levites Named Kish (Descendants of Merari)

A distinct line of Kish appears among the Merarite Levites:
• In the census of Levitical families: “The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish” (1 Chronicles 23:21).
• Because Eleazar left no sons, “their cousins, the sons of Kish, married them” (1 Chronicles 23:22), an example of kinsman responsibility preserving tribal inheritance.
• The same clan is noted in the priestly rota: “From Kish: Jerahmeel” (1 Chronicles 24:29).
• During Hezekiah’s revival, “from the descendants of Merari, Kish son of Abdi” helped reopen and cleanse the Temple (2 Chronicles 29:12).

These references present a family faithful to its calling over centuries—caretakers of worship, guardians of holiness, and ready participants when reform came.

Kish in the Genealogy of Mordecai

“Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite” (Esther 2:5). The book of Esther reaches back to Kish to underline Mordecai’s covenant identity. Whether the Kish in Esther is the same man as Saul’s father or a later descendant bearing the same name, the mention ties the deliverance in Persia to the tribe that earlier produced Israel’s first king. The juxtaposition of Saul’s failure to destroy Agag with Mordecai’s victory over Haman the Agagite highlights God’s unfailing commitment to complete what earlier generations left unfinished.

Ministry and Theological Significance

1. Divine Providence in the Mundane: Lost livestock set in motion the transition from judges to monarchy, revealing how everyday events serve eternal purposes.
2. Continuity of Covenant: Genealogies anchored in Kish reassure post-exilic readers that exile did not erase God’s promises; the same families remain in His story.
3. Stewardship Across Generations: Whether dedicating spoils to the sanctuary or restoring worship under Hezekiah, the various men named Kish illustrate how resources and service offered to God transcend the failings or successes of any one individual.
4. Redemption of Tribal Legacy: Benjamin’s early history was scarred by civil war, yet through Kish it produced the first king and, later, Mordecai and Esther—evidence that God can reclaim and repurpose even a troubled heritage.

Key References

1 Samuel 9:1-3; 10:11, 21; 14:51

2 Samuel 21:14

1 Chronicles 8:30, 33; 9:36, 39; 12:1; 23:21-22; 24:29; 26:28

2 Chronicles 29:12

Esther 2:5

וְקִ֔ישׁ וְקִ֖ישׁ וְקִ֧ישׁ וְקִֽישׁ׃ וקיש וקיש׃ לְקִ֖ישׁ לקיש קִ֑ישׁ קִ֔ישׁ קִ֖ישׁ קִ֚ישׁ קִ֜ישׁ קִ֣ישׁ קִ֥ישׁ קיש kish lə·qîš leKish ləqîš qîš veKish wə·qîš wəqîšInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts