Lexical Summary
Yissaskar: Issachar
Original Word:יִשָּׂשׂכָר
Part of Speech:proper name, masculine
Transliteration:Yissaskar
Pronunciation:yis-saw-KAR
Phonetic Spelling:(yis-saw-kawr')
KJV: Issachar
NASB:Issachar
Word Origin:[fromH5375 (נָשָׂא נָסָה - lifted) andH7939 (שָׂכָר - wages)]
1. he will bring a reward
2. Jissaskar, a son of Jacob
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Issachar
(strictly yis-saws-kawr'); fromnasa' andsakar; he will bring a reward; Jissaskar, a son of Jacob -- Issachar.
see HEBREWnasa'
see HEBREWsakar
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitionperhaps "there is recompense," a son of Jacob and Leah, also a son of Obed-edom
NASB TranslationIssachar (43).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
48 (so always , Qr perpet.; Ben Naphtali Baer
Gn p. 84 f.)
(etymology and meaning dubious; as if Niph`al Imperfect √ ; Kt =there is recompense (compareGenesis 30:18), so Thes and others; this the true etymology according to Ol§§ 69 c; 277 f. Köi. 120 seeJeremiah 31:16; 2Chronicles 15:7; = (a more probable combination in proper name) WeSam 95; > (), or ; , see especiallyGenesis 30:18 , ) —
(apparently ninth son of Jacob)Genesis 30:18;Genesis 35:23;Genesis 46:13;Genesis 49:14;Exodus 1:3;Numbers 1:8;Numbers 1:28;Numbers 2:5;Numbers 26:23;Joshua 19:17;1 Chronicles 7:1;1 Chronicles 12:33 (32 van d. H.);Numbers 26:25;1 Chronicles 7:5;Numbers 1:29;Numbers 2:5;Numbers 13:7;Joshua 21:6,28;1 Chronicles 6:47;1 Chronicles 6:57;Numbers 10:15;Numbers 34:26;Joshua 19:23;1 Kings 15:27; hence alone =tribe of Issachar,Numbers 7:18;Deuteronomy 27:12;Deuteronomy 33:18;Joshua 19:17;Judges 5:15 (twice in verse);Judges 10:1;Ezekiel 48:33 (),1 Chronicles 27:18; 2Chronicles 30:18; =territory of the tribeJoshua 17:10,11;1 Kings 4:17;1 Chronicles 12:41 (40 van d. H.); transition fromtribe toterritoryEzekiel 48:25,26.
1 Chronicles 26:5.
Topical Lexicon
Name and Early Biblical ContextIssachar is the fifth son born to Jacob and Leah and the ninth of Jacob’s twelve sons (Genesis 30:18). On the day of his birth Leah proclaimed, “God has rewarded me… So she named him Issachar” (Genesis 30:18). From its earliest mention the name is linked with divine recompense, positioning Issachar as a token of God’s providence amid family rivalry.
Patriarchal Blessing (Genesis 49:14-15)
At Jacob’s deathbed Issachar received a vivid word-picture:
“Issachar is a strong donkey lying down between the sheepfolds. He saw that his resting place was good and that his land was pleasant, so he bent his shoulder to the load and became a slave to forced labor”.
The blessing anticipates (1) agricultural richness, (2) a bent toward settled life rather than nomadism, and (3) a willingness to bear burdens in service of others. Throughout Israel’s history these qualities surface in Issachar’s tribal character—agrarian stability, reliability in levy, and measured political insight.
Mosaic Blessing (Deuteronomy 33:18-19)
Moses couples Issachar with Zebulun: “Rejoice… Issachar, in your tents. They will summon the peoples to the mountain… for they will feast on the abundance of the seas and the hidden treasures of the sand”. Together the tribes are pictured as drawing nations to worship and benefiting from both land and sea. The juxtaposition of tents (domestic devotion) and summoning peoples (missional outreach) foreshadows Issachar’s later role as counselors who “understood the times.”
Census Data and Camp Arrangement
•Numbers 1:28-29 records 54,400 fighting men at Sinai.
•Numbers 26:23-25 records 64,300 on the Plains of Moab—significant wartime growth.
• In the wilderness march Issachar camped on the east side with Judah and Zebulun (Numbers 2:5). Proximity to Judah—the royal line—kept Issachar at the heart of Israel’s advance and worship.
Territorial Inheritance
Joshua 19:17-23 assigns Issachar a fertile swath of the Jezreel Valley and surrounding hills, bordered by Mount Tabor and the Kishon River. Cities such as Jezreel, Shunem and En-gannim lie within its allotment. Grain fields, vineyards and caravan routes made Issachar an agricultural and commercial linchpin. Control of key valleys also placed the tribe in the path of invading powers, demanding strategic discernment.
Military Engagements and Judges Era
Deborah applauds Issachar’s valor: “The princes of Issachar were with Deborah… Issachar was with Barak, rushing after him into the valley” (Judges 5:15). The tribe’s readiness to answer the prophetic call contrasts with the hesitation of others, reinforcing its reputation for thoughtful action.
Men Who Understood the Times
During David’s rise, “from the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—two hundred chiefs” rallied to him (1 Chronicles 12:32). This unique commendation highlights spiritual perception wedded to practical counsel. Their comparatively small number (two hundred) yet decisive influence exemplifies quality over quantity in godly leadership.
Tribal Administration in the Monarchy
• One of David’s monthly officers, Omri son of Michael, was “for Issachar” (1 Chronicles 27:18), indicating administrative trust.
• In Hezekiah’s revival, people from Issachar humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem for Passover (2 Chronicles 30:18). The tribe again surfaces where reform and worship flourish.
Genealogical Preservation
Extensive family records appear in1 Chronicles 7:1-5, naming Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron. The list notes 87,000 “mighty men of valor,” revealing continued strength after settlement. Post-exilic enumerations in Ezra and Nehemiah do not single out Issachar, yet the later prophetic vision includes the tribe in the restored land (Ezekiel 48:25) and among the sealed servants (Revelation 7:7).
Prophetic and Eschatological Significance
Ezekiel allocates Issachar a portion north of Simeon in the millennial allotment, and John lists the tribe among the 144,000, affirming its perpetuity in God’s covenantal program. The prophetic linkage of agricultural imagery with worship centers anticipates an age when fruitfulness and praise converge.
Lessons for Faith and Ministry
1. Reward of Faithfulness: Leah’s declaration reminds believers that God observes sacrifice and honors it in His timing.
2. Steadfast Servanthood: The “strong donkey” portrays humble strength—bearing burdens without relinquishing joy in the land.
3. Discernment and Counsel: Issachar’s men “understood the times,” modeling a Spirit-shaped awareness that presses biblical wisdom into national decision-making.
4. Partnership in Mission: Moses pairs Issachar with Zebulun, teaching that domestic faithfulness (tents) and outward witness (mountain gatherings) must coexist.
5. Hope of Restoration: Inclusion inEzekiel 48 andRevelation 7 assures that no tribe faithful to God’s covenantal promise is forgotten.
Representative References
Genesis 30:18; 35:23; 46:13
Genesis 49:14-15
Exodus 1:3
Numbers 1:28-29; 2:5; 26:23-25
Deuteronomy 27:12; 33:18-19
Joshua 17:11; 19:17-23
Judges 5:15
1 Samuel 10:27
1 Chronicles 6:62 (6:77); 7:1-5; 12:32; 27:18
2 Chronicles 30:18; 35:18
Ezekiel 48:25
Revelation 7:7
Forms and Transliterations
בְּיִשָּׂשכָ֣ר בְּיִשָּׂשכָר֙ בְּיִשָׂשכָֽר׃ ביששכר ביששכר׃ וְיִשָּׂשכָ֖ר וְיִשָּׂשכָר֙ וּבְיִשָּׂשכָ֖ר וביששכר ויששכר יִ֠שָׂשכָר יִשָּׂשכָ֑ר יִשָּׂשכָ֔ר יִשָּׂשכָ֖ר יִשָּׂשכָ֗ר יִשָּׂשכָ֣ר יִשָּׂשכָ֤ר יִשָּׂשכָ֥ר יִשָּׂשכָֽר׃ יִשָּׂשכָר֙ יִשָׂשכָ֑ר יִשָׂשכָ֔ר יִשָׂשכָ֖ר יִשָׂשכָ֗ר יִשָׂשכָ֣ר יִשָׂשכָ֥ר יששכר יששכר׃ לְיִ֨שָּׂשכָ֔ר לְיִ֨שָׂשכָ֔ר ליששכר עַד־ עד־ ‘aḏ- ad bə·yi·śā·š·ḵār bə·yiś·śā·š·ḵār bəyiśāšḵār beyisoshChar beyissashChar bəyiśśāšḵār beyissoshChar lə·yi·śā·š·ḵār lə·yiś·śā·š·ḵār ləyiśāšḵār leYisoshChar ləyiśśāšḵār leYissoshChar ū·ḇə·yiś·śā·š·ḵār ūḇəyiśśāšḵār uveyissoshChar veyissashChar veyissoshChar wə·yiś·śā·š·ḵār wəyiśśāšḵār yi·śā·š·ḵār yiś·śā·š·ḵār yiśāšḵār yisoshChar Yisoshchor yissashChar yiśśāšḵār yissoshChar
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