Jesse (biblical figure)

For other uses, see Jesse (disambiguation).

Jesse or Yishai (Hebrew: יִשַׁי, Yíšay) is the father of the Biblical King David mentioned in the Books of Samuel of the Hebrew Bible. David is sometimes called simply "Son of Jesse" (ben yishai). Jesse was the son of Obed, and the grandson of Ruth. He is a Bethlehemite

Yishai

In the Talmud it says Yishai was one of four men (the others are Benjamin, Amram, and Chileab) never to have committed a sin.

Yishai in Hebrew also means "God's gift."

Link to Jesus Christ

The name Jesse is referenced in the Old Testament, and in particular the passage in Isaiah, Chapter 11, verses 1-3:

And there shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots...

This is regarded by Christians as a prophecy of the Messiah. Jesse is included in both versions of the Genealogy of Jesus given by the Gospels of Matthew and Luke and the Tree of Jesse, possibly the first use of the tree as a metaphor in genealogy, became a popular subject in Christian art from the 11th century.

The Tree of Jesse

From the eleventh century the Tree of Jesse has been portrayed in religious illuminations, manuscripts, wall paintings, wood carvings and stone including a tomb stone; stained glass windows, floor tiles and embroidery. In the representation of the Tree, it is usual for Jesse to be portrayed recumbent with a tree rising from his body, and the ancestors of Christ portrayed in its branches with Prophets and Christ at the summit. The earliest illustrated manuscripts did not always depict Jesse or Christ. Not all illustrations include the same number of characters this depends upon the size of the area provided, such as seven light windows or three light windows.

Sons of Jesse

According to the Bible Jesse had as many as eight sons.

• Eliab - apparently tall and had fair features, but not the proper heart to be king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:7). "Do not consider his appearance or his height...the Lord looks at the heart."
• Abinadab
• Shammah
• David - the youngest who would become the second king of Israel after King Saul. He is described in 1 Samuel 16:12 as "ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features[,]" and later as "a brave man and a warrior[]," who "speaks well and is a fine-looking man."

Geographical usage

The "Geza of Jesse" is a plateau located just north of the valley of Jezreel in Israel said to have been originally cleared and settled by descendents of David.

See also

• Tree of Jesse