Issachar | |
|---|---|
יִשָּׂשכָר | |
.jpg) Painting byFrancisco de Zurbarán (fromJacob and his twelve sons, c. 1640–45) | |
| Pronunciation | Yissakhar |
| Born | 10Av |
| Died | (aged 122) |
| Resting place | maybe inSidon[citation needed] |
| Spouse | Aridah |
| Children | Tola (son) Puah (son) Jashub (son) Shimron (son) [1] |
| Parents | |
| Relatives | Reuben (brother) Simeon (brother) Levi (brother) Judah (brother) Dan (half brother) Naphtali (half brother) Gad (half brother) Asher (half brother) Zebulun (brother) Dinah (sister) Joseph (half brother) Benjamin (half brother) Rachel (aunt/stepmother) |
Issachar (Hebrew:יִשָּׂשכָר,romanized: Yiśśāḵār,lit. '"There is reward"')[2][3][4] was, according to theBook of Genesis, the fifth of the six sons ofJacob andLeah (Jacob's ninth son), and the founder of theIsraeliteTribe of Issachar. However, someBiblical scholars view this as aneponymousmetaphor providing anaetiology of the connectedness of the tribe to others in the Israeliteconfederation.[5]
Two differentetymologies for the name ofIssachar have been proposed based on the text of the Torah, which sometextual scholars attribute to different sources—one to theYahwist and the other to theElohist.[6] The first derives it fromish sakar, meaningman of hire, in reference to Leah's hire of Jacob'ssexual favours for the price of somemandrakes.[7] The second derives it fromyesh sakar, meaningthere is a reward, in reference to Leah's opinion that the birth of Issachar was a divine reward for giving her handmaidZilpah to Jacob as a concubine.[8] Scholars suspect the former explanation to be the more likely name for a tribe,[citation needed] though some scholars have proposed a third etymology—that it derives fromish Sokar, meaningman of Sokar, in reference to the tribe's perhaps originally worshippingSokar, an Egyptian deity.[9]
In the Biblical account, Leah's status as the first wife of Jacob is regarded bybiblical scholars as indicating that the authors saw the tribe of Issachar as being one of the original Israelite groups;[9] however, this may have been the result of a scribal error, as the names ofIssachar andNaphtali appear to have changed places elsewhere in the text, and the birth narrative of Issachar and Naphtali is regarded bytextual scholars as having been spliced together fromits sources in a manner which has highly corrupted the narrative.[6][5] A number of scholars think that the tribe of Issachar actually originated as theShekelesh group ofSea Peoples[10][11] - the nameShekelesh can be decomposed asmen of the Shekel inHebrew, a meaning synonymous withman of hire (ish sakar);[11] scholars believe that the memory of such non-Israelite origin would have led to the Torah's authors having given Issachar ahandmaiden as a matriarch.[5]
Inclassical rabbinical literature, it is stated that Issachar was born on the fourth ofAv, and lived 122 years.[9] According to themidrashic Book of Jasher, Issachar marriedAridah, the younger daughter ofJobab, a son ofJoktan; the Torah states that Issachar had four sons, who were born in Canaan and migrated with him toEgypt,[1] with their descendants remaining there untilthe Exodus.[12] The midrashic Book of Jasher portrays Issachar as somewhat pragmatic, due to his strong effort in being more learned, less involved with other matters which led him to such actions like taking a feeble part in military campaigns involving his brothers, and generally residing in strongly fortified cities and, depending on his brotherZebulun's financial support in return for a share in the spiritual reward he gains.[9]
TheTalmud argues that Issachar's description in theBlessing of Jacob -Issachar is a strongass lying down between two burdens: and he saw that settled life was good, and the land was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute[13] - is a reference to the religious scholarship of the tribe of Issachar, though scholars feel that it may more simply be a literal interpretation of Issachar's name.[14]
Some Muslim genealogists link Shuayb toAbraham through both Sarah andKeturah by making Shuayb's genealogy to be Shuayb b. Isaachar b. Midian b. Abraham.[15]
ASamaritan tradition recorded in the late 19th century considered Neby Hazkil nearRameh to be the burial place of Issachar.[16]
