Lexical Summary
Yether: Remnant, remainder, excess, cord
Original Word:יֶתֶר
Part of Speech:Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration:Yether
Pronunciation:YEH-ter
Phonetic Spelling:(yeh'-ther)
KJV: Jether, Jethro
NASB:Jether, Jethro
Word Origin:[the same asH3499 (יֶתֶר - Remnant)]
1. Jether, the name of five or six Israelites and of one Midianite
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Jether, Jethro
The same asyether; Jether, the name of five or six Israelites and of one Midianite -- Jether, Jethro. CompareYithrow.
see HEBREWyether
see HEBREWYithrow
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
yatharDefinitionMoses' father-in-law (see NH3503), also the name of several Isr.
NASB TranslationJether (8), Jethro (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
III. (
abundance; on form and meaning of this and the following proper name see Lag
BN 52, 198) —
Exodus 4:18 a (E; probably text error, elsewhere , q. v.)
Judges 8:20, .
1 Kings 2:5,32;1 Chronicles 2:17, ; =2 Samuel 17:25, , ;L .
, :
1 Chronicles 2:32 (twice in verse).
1 Chronicles 4:17.
1 Chronicles 7:38 ( =1 Chronicles 7:37), , A ,L [1 Chronicles 7:39] .
Topical Lexicon
JetherPersons Bearing the Name
1. Jether, Gideon’s firstborn (Judges 8:20).
2. Jether (also Ithra), the Ishmaelite father of Amasa, commander of Absalom’s and later David’s army (1 Kings 2:5,1 Kings 2:32;1 Chronicles 2:17).
3. Jether, son of Jada, a Jerahmeelite who died childless (1 Chronicles 2:32).
4. Jether, one of the sons of Ezrah in the line of Judah (1 Chronicles 4:17).
5. Jether, forefather of Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara in the tribe of Asher (1 Chronicles 7:38).
Jether, Gideon’s Firstborn
Placed before the Midianite kings Zebah and Zalmunna, the youth is urged by his father to execute divine judgment: “Get up and kill them!” (Judges 8:20). His reluctance highlights the gravity of holy warfare and the sobering cost of leadership. Gideon’s request underscores a patriarchal responsibility to participate in God-ordained justice; Jether’s hesitation reminds the reader that courage in obedience is nurtured, not assumed.
Jether the Ishmaelite, Father of Amasa
Jether’s marriage to Abigail, David’s sister, brings an Ishmaelite into close association with the royal family (1 Chronicles 2:17). Their son Amasa becomes commander of Absalom’s forces, later offered the command of Judah’s army by David (2 Samuel 17:25; 19:13). Joab murders Amasa, and Solomon cites that crime when ordering Joab’s execution: “Amasa son of Jether… he killed them” (1 Kings 2:32). Jether’s line therefore intersects crucial moments in the transition from David to Solomon, illustrating how familial alliances affect the stability of the kingdom.
Jether in Judean Genealogies
Two men named Jether appear in the family records of Judah (1 Chronicles 2:32; 4:17). One dies without offspring, the other fathers several sons. Together they show the chronicler’s interest in preserving both fruitful and fruitless branches of the covenant people, underscoring that every lineage is accountable before God, whether it flourishes or ends.
Jether the Asherite Patriarch
Within the tribe of Asher, Jether is listed as the father of Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara (1 Chronicles 7:38). Asher’s descendants are noted for their courage and aptitude for battle (1 Chronicles 7:40). Jether thus stands among those whose households bolster Israel’s defensive strength in the north, a quiet but necessary contribution to national security.
Historical and Redemptive Themes
1. Covenant Inclusion. The presence of an Ishmaelite (Jether) inside David’s family circle anticipates the grafting of Gentiles into God’s redemptive plan (Isaiah 60:3;Romans 11:17).
2. Leadership and Accountability. Gideon’s appeal to Jether to administer justice parallels the later royal mandate where Joab is held responsible for shedding the blood of Jether’s son (1 Kings 2:5-6). The name thus bookmarks two episodes that stress lawful retribution under God’s rule.
3. Genealogical Integrity. Chronicling multiple individuals named Jether, some fruitful and some not, testifies to Scripture’s commitment to historical fidelity. The record of a man who “died without children” (1 Chronicles 2:32) is preserved with the same care as that of tribal patriarchs, affirming that every life bears significance in the unfolding covenant story.
Ministry Applications
• Nurturing Courage. Like Gideon’s son, young believers may shrink from difficult obedience. Patient discipleship builds the fortitude needed for decisive action when God calls.
• Guarding Alliances. Jether’s marriage into David’s family produced both opportunity and conflict. Ministry partnerships must be forged with discernment, mindful that relational bonds influence future leadership.
• Valuing the Quiet Faithful. Genealogies that mention minor figures such as Jether remind the church to honor unsung contributors whose steady faithfulness upholds the community’s mission.
Intertextual Connections
The varied occurrences of Jether link Judges, Samuel-Kings, and Chronicles, weaving together Israel’s tribal era, monarchy, and post-exilic reflection. This continuity reinforces the reliability of Scripture’s historical witness and exhorts readers to trace God’s consistent purposes from generation to generation.
Forms and Transliterations
יֶ֑תֶר יֶ֖תֶר יֶ֙תֶר֙ יֶ֥תֶר יתר לְיֶ֣תֶר ליתר lə·ye·ṯer leYeter ləyeṯer ye·ṯer yeter yeṯer
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