Original Word: שֶׁרֶשׁ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Sheresh
Pronunciation: SHEH-resh
Phonetic Spelling: (sheh'-resh)
KJV: Sharesh
NASB: Sheresh
Word Origin: [the same as H8328 (שֶׁרֶשׁ - root)]

1. Sheresh, an Israelite

Sharesh

The same as sheresh; Sheresh, an Israelite -- Sharesh.

see HEBREW sheresh

Word Origin
from the same as shoresh
Definition
"root," a man of Manasseh
NASB Translation
Sheresh (1).

שָׁ֑רֶשׁ proper name, masculine in Manasseh (compare Old Aramaic proper name שרש Lzb³⁸³); — 1 Chronicles 7:16; Σο[υ]ρος; ᵐ5^L Φορος.

[שַׁרְשָׁה], [שַׁרְשְׁרָה] see שׁרר.

שֶׁשְׁבַּצַּר (Baer Gi; ׳שֵׁשׁ van d. H.)

proper name, masculine prince of Judah, leader of returning exiles Ezra 1:8,11 (compare Biblical Aramaic Ezra 5:14,16); Σαβανασαρ, A Σασαβασσαρος, ᵐ5^L Σαβασαρης; in 1 Esdras Σαναμασσαρος, etc. (probably = Šamaš-bal-uƒur or Sin-bal-uƒur Mey^{Entstehung d. Jud. 75 ff., 193} Selbie^{Hast. DB. under the word} Che^{Ency. Bib. under the word} Berthol^{Ezra 1:8} and references); — long identified with Zerubbabel, so BeRy Ryle, but improbable, see Sm^{Listen 19} Kosters^{Herstel 32 f.} Mey^{Entstehung l.c.}; Mey⁷⁷ and others identify with שֶׁנְאַצַּ֑ר 1 Chronicles 3:18 (against this Now^{Haggai 1:1}, yet see Berthol^l.c.).

[שִׁשָּׁה] see שֵׁשׁ below שׁדשׁ.

Name and Meaning

Sheresh is a personal name occurring once in the Old Testament. Though etymology points to ideas of being “rooted” or “firmly planted,” Scripture introduces the man rather than merely a linguistic concept. His brief appearance nevertheless anchors him within the ongoing account of God’s covenant people.

Biblical Occurrence

1 Chronicles 7:16: “Makir’s wife Maacah bore a son, and she named him Peresh; his brother was named Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem.”

Genealogical Context

• Great-grandson of Joseph through Manasseh.
• Grandson of Manasseh’s son Makir, whose lineage settled the region of Gilead (Joshua 17:1).
• Brother of Peresh; father of Ulam and Rakem.

The Chronicler records him while tracing tribal subdivisions that shaped land inheritance and military organization (1 Chronicles 7:14-19).

Historical Background

The genealogy belongs to the northern tribe of Manasseh, portions of which lived east of the Jordan in Gilead and Bashan. By listing Sheresh after the exile, the Chronicler:

1. Re-establishes ancestral claims to territory.
2. Reassures the post-exilic community that their identity is intact despite dispersion (1 Chronicles 9:1).
3. Connects present worshipers at the rebuilt temple with patriarchal promises (Genesis 48:19-20).

Tribal Significance

Although Sheresh himself is not tied to a specific town, his father Makir is repeatedly called “father of Gilead,” implying clan leadership. Sheresh’s sons Ulam and Rakem likely became heads of household groups whose names were later attached to settlements or military units (compare Numbers 26:29; 1 Chronicles 5:18-22). Thus the single reference hints at a broader, living network within Manasseh that contributed men of valor and administrators of land.

Theological and Ministry Insights

1. Covenant Continuity: Every name, even one mentioned only once, testifies that “The LORD’s covenant stands firm” (Psalm 105:8). Sheresh’s placement secures another link in the chain stretching from Abraham to Christ.
2. Divine Accountability: The preservation of obscure names encourages believers that God “calls His own sheep by name” (John 10:3). No servant of God is overlooked.
3. Corporate Identity: Sheresh’s relationship to tribe and clan models the New Testament truth that individual believers belong to a body (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). Ministry today flourishes when personal gifts are rooted in communal life.
4. Heritage and Hope: Just as post-exilic readers saw their future in past genealogies, modern Christians draw hope from knowing they are “fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19).

Lessons for Today

• Value the whole counsel of God, including genealogies, as “profitable for teaching” (2 Timothy 3:16).
• Remember that obscurity in human records does not equal insignificance before God.
• Cultivate a sense of belonging and responsibility within the local church, mirroring Israel’s clan structures.
• Praise God for His meticulous care in preserving every branch of the family tree that leads to the Messiah and embraces all who believe.

שָׁ֑רֶשׁ שרש šā·reš šāreš ShareshInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts