Lexical Definition
קִישׁ Qîysh (keesh) Kish N:N-M-P
from קוֹשׁ; a bow
Kish.
- § Kish = "bent"
- Kish, the name of five Israelites
1) a Benjamite of the family of Matri, father of king Saul
2) an ancestor of Mordecai
3) son of Gibeon and brother of Abdon, Zur, Baal, Ner, Nadab, Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth; uncle of Kish the father of king Saul
4) a Merarite Levite, son of Mahli and grandson of Merari the progenitor of the family
5) a Merarite Levite, son of Abdi in the time of king Hezekiah of Judah
See Greek: Κίς
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| קִ֖ישׁ | Kish | Esth.2.5 |
Extended Information
- A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Est.2.5
- father of: Shimei (שִׁמְעִי)
Brown-Driver-Briggs
קִישׁ proper name, masculine (probably *קַיְשְׁ Arabic 
Aramaic קישׁא NöZMG xi (1896), 167 originally proper name, of deity as Arabic 
which now only in proper name, of person WeHeid. 2. 67); — K(ε)ις:
1. father of Saul 1Sam 9:1; 1Sam 9:3 (twice in verse); 1Sam 10:11; 1Sam 10:21; 1Sam 14:51; 2Sam 21:14; 1Chr 8:30; 1Chr 8:33 (where read אַבְנֵר Be Kau Kit), v1Chr 8:33 = 1Chr 9:36; 1Chr 9:39 (read as above), v1Chr 9:39; 1Chr 12:1; 1Chr 26:28.
2. Levites :
a. 1Chr 23:21; 1Chr 23:22; 1Chr 24:29 (twice in verse).
b. 2Chr 29:12.
3. ancestor of Mordecai Esth 2:5 (Κεισαίου).
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| 1 Samuel | 9:1 · 9:3 · 10:11 · 10:21 · 14:51 |
| 2 Samuel | 21:14 |
| 1 Chronicles | 8:30 · 8:33 · 9:36 · 9:39 · 12:1 · 23:21 · 23:22 · 24:29 · 26:28 |
| 2 Chronicles | 29:12 |
| Esther | 2:5 |
Profile
Male • Ancestor of Mordecai • An ancestor of Mordecai
Man living at the time of Exile and Return
Kish, a Benjamite, was an ancestor of Mordecai, the cousin and guardian of Queen Esther.
- A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Est.2.5;
- only referred to as Kish קִישׁ;
- father of Shimei שִׁמְעִי.
Kish is mentioned in Esther 2:5 as an ancestor of Mordecai, a prominent Jewish figure in the Persian court during the reign of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). Mordecai is introduced as "the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite."
This genealogical reference to Kish establishes Mordecai's lineage within the tribe of Benjamin. It is important to note that this Kish is not the same person as Saul's father, who was also named Kish and was from the tribe of Benjamin.
The mention of Kish in Mordecai's ancestry provides a connection to the tribe of Benjamin and emphasizes the Jewish identity of Mordecai and his family, who were living in exile in the Persian Empire.
Apart from this brief mention in the genealogy of Mordecai, no further information is provided about this particular Kish or his life. His inclusion in the lineage serves to establish Mordecai's background and heritage as a Benjamite Jew living in the diaspora.
All entries for Kish: קִישׁ
Related Profiles:
- Shimei (child)