Jehoash; son of Jehohanan.—2 Chron. 23:1, 12-15, 20; 24:1.

5. Ringleader of those who killed Governor Gedaliah only three months after the downfall of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E.; son of Nethaniah of the royal line. At the time the governor’s appointment was made by Nebuchadnezzar, Ishmael, son of Nethaniah, was in the field as one of the military chiefs. Later, he came to Gedaliah and apparently entered a sworn covenant of peace and support with the governor. Secretly, however, Ishmael conspired with Baalis, the king of the Ammonites, to kill Gedaliah. Other military commanders, including Johanan, warned Gedaliah of Ishmael’s mischief, but the governor, not believing the report, refused to grant Johanan permission to strike Ishmael down.—2 Ki. 25:22-24; Jer. 40:7-16.

As a result, when Gedaliah was entertaining Ishmael and his band of ten men at a meal, they rose up and killed their host as well as the Jews and Chaldeans who were with him. The next day these assassins seized eighty men who had come from Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria, killing all but ten of them, and throwing their bodies into the great cistern built by King Asa. Ishmael and his men then took the remnant of those living in Mizpah captive and headed for Ammonite territory. On the way Johanan and his forces overtook and rescued the captives, but Ishmael and eight of his men escaped to their Ammonite sanctuary.—2 Ki. 25:25; Jer. 41:1-18.

6. One of the priests of the paternal house of Pashhur who put away their foreign wives in the days of Ezra.—Ezra 10:22, 44.

ISHMAELITE

(Ishʹma·el·ite).

A descendant of Ishmael, the firstborn son of Abraham by Hagar, the Egyptian handmaid of Sarah. (Gen. 16:1-4, 11) Ishmael, in turn, married an Egyptian by whom he had twelve sons (Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, Kedemah), the chieftains of the various Ishmaelite clans. (Gen. 21:21; 25:13-16) The Ishmaelites, therefore, were at the start one-fourth Semitic and threefourths Hamitic, racially speaking.

As God had promised, the Ishmaelites grew to become “a great nation” that ‘could not be numbered for multitude.’ (Gen. 17:20; 16:10) But instead of settling down (they built few cities), they preferred the nomadic life. Ishmael himself was “a zebra of a man,” that is, a restless wanderer who roamed the Wilderness of Paran and lived by his bow and arrows. His descendants were likewise tent-dwelling bedouins for the most part, a people who ranged over the Sinai Peninsula from “in front of Egypt,” that is, to the E of Egypt and across N Arabia as far as Assyria. They were noted for being a fierce, warlike people hard to get along with, even as it was said of their father Ishmael: “His hand will be against everyone, and the hand of everyone will be against him.”—Gen. 16:12; 21:20, 21; 25:16, 18.

In further describing the Ishmaelites, it is said: “In front of all his brothers he settled down [Heb., na·phalʹ].” (Gen. 25:18) Similarly, the Midianites and their allies, it was said, “were plumped [noph·limʹ, a participle form of na·phalʹ] in the low plain” in Israelite territory until Gideon’s band forcefully routed them. (Judg. 7:1, 12) Hence, when the Ishmaelites “settled down” it was evidently with the intent of holding on to the region until forcefully removed.

In the course of time it is quite likely that intermarriage between Ishmaelites and descendants of Abraham through Keturah (Gen. 25:1-4) occurred, resulting in the race of Arabs that occupied sections of Arabia. Since Ishmael and Midian were half brothers, any intermarriage of their respective descendants with the amalgamation of their blood, habits, traits and occupations could have given rise to an interchangeable usage of the terms “Ishmaelites” and ‘Midianites,’ as is noted in the description of the caravan that sold Joseph into Egyptian slavery. (Gen. 37:25-28; 39:1) In the days of Gideon the hordes that invaded Israel were described as both Midianites and Ishmaelites, one of the identifying marks of the latter being their gold nose rings.—Judg. 8:24; compare 7:25 and 8:22, 26.

The animosity Ishmael had toward Isaac seems to have been handed down to his descendants, even to the extent of hating the God of Isaac, for the psalmist in enumerating those that are “the very ones intensely hating” Jehovah, includes the Ishmaelites. (Ps. 83:1, 2, 5, 6) There were, however, evidently exceptions. Under the organizational arrangement instituted by David, Obil, who is referred to as an Ishmaelite, had supervision over the camels of the king.—1 Chron. 27:30, 31.

In the seventh century C.E. Mohammed claimed to be an Ishmaelite descendant of Abraham.

ISHMAIAH

(Ish·maʹiah) [Jehovah hears].

1. An outstanding Gibeonite warrior who joined David’s army at Ziklag before Saul’s death. (1 Chron. 12:1, 4) In this early list of David’s “thirty” leading warriors, Ishmaiah is called their head, but the absence of his name in later lists suggests that he may have died in the meantime.—2 Sam. 23:8, 18, 19; 1 Chron. 11:10, 11, 20, 21.

2. The prince over the tribe of Zebulun in David’s time; son of Obadiah.—1 Chron. 27:19, 22.

ISHMERAI

(Ishʹme·rai) [Jehovah keeps].

A head among the Benjamites who lived in Jerusalem; son or descendant of Elpaal.—1 Chron. 8:1, 18, 28.

ISHPAH

(Ishʹpah) [from a root meaning ‘to sweep bare’].

A head of the people among the Benjamites living in Jerusalem; son or descendant of Beriah.—1 Chron. 8:1, 16, 28.

ISHPAN

(Ishʹpan) [he will hide].

A Benjamite son or descendant of Shashak; one of the heads of the people living in Jerusalem.—1 Chron. 8:1, 22, 25, 28.

ISHTOB

(Ishʹtob) [man of Tob (good)].

One of the small kingdoms that provided fighting men for the sons of Ammon to use against David. The forces from “Ishtob” and their allies were defeated. (2 Samuel chapter 10, AT, AV, NW, Yg) Most translators and geographers consider that Ishtob should be rendered “men of Tob,” referring to “the land of Tob” where Jephthah resided. (Judg. 11:3-11; see 2 Samuel 10:6, 8, AS, JB, JP, RS.) However, the reading “Ishtob” has the support of certain ancient versions. (Compare Bagster’s LXX [translated from Greek]; La [from Syriac]; and Dy [from Latin].) The location of an ancient Ishtob is not now known.—See TOB.

ISHVAH

(Ishʹvah) [possibly, to be like, level].

The second of Asher’s four sons. (Gen. 46:17; 1 Chron. 7:30) Since he is not listed in the families of Asher, it is possible that he had no sons or that his line of descent soon died out.—Num. 26:44.

ISHVI

(Ishʹvi) [possibly, to be like, equal].

1. Third-listed son of Asher and founder of the Ishvite family in that tribe.—Gen. 46:17; Num. 26:44; 1 Chron. 7:30.

2. One of King Saul’s sons.—1 Sam. 14:49.

ISHVITES

(Ishʹvites).

A family descended from Ishvi, a son of Asher.—Gen. 46:17; Num. 26:44.

ISLAND, ISLE

The Hebrew term ʼi (plural, ʼi·yimʹ) is not restricted to a body of land smaller than a continent and completely surrounded by water (Isa. 11:11; 24:15), but also designates dry land (Isa. 42:15) or coastland(s). (Isa. 20:6; 23:2, 6; Jer. 2:10) Figuratively, the word ʼi applies to the inhabitants of such islands or coastlands. (Gen. 10:5, NW, 1953 ed., ftn.; Isa. 49:1; 51:5; 59:18; 60:9, NW, 1958 ed., ftns.) Sometimes “islands” represent the most distant places and their inhabitants. (Isa. 41:5; 66:19; Ezek. 39:6 [see MAGOG]) Thus nothing will be too remote or isolated, as islands in the sea, to escape the effects of the symbolic earthquake on Babylon the Great. (Rev. 16:18-21; compare Revelation 6:12-14.) From Jehovah’s standpoint, all the islands are as “mere fine dust.”—Isa. 40:15.

Among the islands specifically named in the Bible are Cyprus (Acts 13:4-6), Cos, Rhodes (Acts 21:1), Crete (Acts 27:7), Cauda (Acts 27:16), Malta (Acts 28:1) and Patmos.—Rev. 1:9.

ISMACHIAH

(Is·ma·chiʹah) [Jah sustains].

One of the Levites selected as a commissioner in connection with the contributions for temple service during Hezekiah’s reign.—2 Chron. 31:13.

ISRAEL

(Isʹra·el) [God contends, or, contender (perseverer) with God].

1. The name God gave to Jacob when he was about ninety-seven years old. It was during the night that Jacob crossed the Jabbok torrent valley on his way to meet his brother Esau that he began struggling with what turned out to be an angel. Because of Jacob’s perseverance in the struggle, his name was changed to Israel as a token of God’s blessing. In commemoration of these events, Jacob named the place Peniel or Penuel. (Gen. 32:22-28; see JACOB No. 1.) Later, at Bethel the change in name was confirmed by God, and from then on to the end of his life Jacob was frequently called Israel. (Gen. 35:10, 15; 50:2; 1 Chron. 1:34) Many of the more than 2,500 occurrences of the name Israel, however, are in reference to Jacob’s descendants as a nation.—Ex. 5:1, 2.

2. All the descendants of Jacob, collectively, at any one time. (Ex. 9:4; Josh. 3:7; Ezra 2:2b; Matt. 8:10) As the offspring and descendants of Jacob’s twelve sons, they were quite often called the “sons of Israel”; less often, the “house of Israel,” the “people of Israel,” the “men of Israel,” the “state of Israel,” or the “Israelites.” (Gen. 32:32; Matt. 10:6; Acts 4:10; 5:35; Eph. 2:12; Rom. 9:4; see ISRAELITE.) In 1728 B.C.E. famine caused the household of Jacob to travel to Egypt, where, as alien residents, their descendants remained for 215 years. All the Israelites reckoned as “of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt,” not counting the wives of Jacob’s sons, were seventy. But during their sojourn there they became a very large society of slaves, totaling perhaps some two or three million or more.—Gen. 46:26, 27; Ex. 1:7; see EXODUS.

On his deathbed Jacob blessed his twelve sons in this order: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph, Benjamin; and through them the patriarchal tribal arrangement was continued. (Gen. 49:2-28) However, during Israel’s period of slavery the Egyptians set up their own overseer system, independent of the patriarchal establishment, designating certain ones from among the Israelites as officers. These kept count of the bricks produced and assisted the Egyptian overlords, who drove the Israelites to work. (Ex. 5:6-19) Moses, on the other hand, when making known Jehovah’s instructions to the congregation, did so through the “older men of Israel” who were the hereditary heads of the paternal houses. They were also the ones who accompanied him when appearing before Pharaoh.—Ex. 3:16, 18; 4:29, 30; 12:21.

In due time, at the end of the predetermined 430-year period of affliction, in 1513 B.C.E., Jehovah crushed the dominating world power of Egypt and, with a great display of his Sovereign Almightiness, brought his people Israel out of slavery. With them came a “vast mixed company” of non-Israelites who were happy to cast their lot in with that of God’s chosen people.—Ex. 12:37, 38, 40, 41; Gal. 3:17.

BIRTH OF THE NATION

Under the covenant made with Abraham, the resultant congregation of Israel was viewed as a single individual, and, therefore, a close relative could reclaim or repurchase them from their slavery. Jehovah was that close relative by this legal covenant, indeed, their Father, and as the rightful Repurchaser he used punitive force to kill Pharaoh’s firstborn for refusing to release God’s “first-born” son Israel. (Ex. 4:22, 23; 6:2-7) Thus legally delivered from Egypt, Israel became the exclusive property of Jehovah. “You people only have I known out of all the families of the ground,” he said. (Amos 3:2; Ex. 19:5, 6; Deut. 7:6) God now saw fit, however, to deal with them, not strictly as a patriarchal society, but as the state of Israel, which he created, giving it a theocratic government founded on the Law covenant as a constitution.

Within three months after Israel left Egypt it became an independent nation under the Law covenant inaugurated at Mount Sinai. (Heb. 9:19, 20) The Ten Words or Ten Commandments written “by God’s finger” formed the framework of that national code, to which some six hundred other laws, statutes, regulations and judicial decisions were added. This made it the most comprehensive set of laws possessed by any ancient nation, spelling out as it did in great detail man’s relation between himself, his God and his fellowmen.—Ex. 31:18; 34:27, 28.

As a pure theocracy, all judicial, legislative and executive authority rested with Jehovah. (Isa. 33:22; Jas. 4:12) In turn, this great Theocrat delegated certain administrative power to His appointed representatives. The law code itself even provided for an eventual dynasty of kings that would represent Jehovah in civil matters. These kings, however, were not absolute monarchs, since the priesthood was separate and independent of the kingship, and in reality the kings sat on “Jehovah’s throne” as his representatives, subject to his directives and discipline.—Deut. 17:14-20; 1 Chron. 29:23; 2 Chron. 26:16-21.

Under the constitutional code, worship of Jehovah was placed above everything else and dominated every part of the nation’s life and activity. Idolatry was rank treason punishable by death. (Deut. 4:15-19; 6:13-15; 13:1-5) The sacred tabernacle, and later the temple, with its prescribed sacrifices was the physical center of worship. The God-appointed priesthood had the Urim and Thummim by which answers were received from Jehovah on important and difficult questions of life or death. (Ex. 28:30) Regular assemblies of the men, women and children were provided (compulsory for the men) and helped to maintain the nation’s spiritual health and unity.—Lev. 23:2; Deut. 31:10-13.

Provisions were made for a system of judges over “tens,” “fifties,” “hundreds” and “thousands.” In this way the cases of the people could be handled quickly and appeals could be made on up to Moses, who could, when necessary, present the matter before Jehovah for final decision. (Ex. 18:19-26; Deut. 16:18) The military organization with its conscription of manpower and distribution of command also conformed to a similar numerical system.—Num. 1:3, 4, 16; 31:3-6, 14, 48.

The various civil, judicial and military offices were filled by the hereditary heads of the tribes, the older men who were experienced, wise and discreet. (Deut. 1:13-15) These older men stood before Jehovah as representatives of the entire congregation of Israel, and through them Jehovah and Moses spoke to the people in general. (Ex. 3:15, 16) They were men who patiently heard judicial cases, enforced the various features of the Law covenant (Deut. 21:18-21; 22:15-21; 25:7-10), abided by the divine decisions already rendered (Deut. 19:11, 12; 21:1-9), furnished military leadership (Num. 1:16), confirmed treaties already negotiated (Josh. 9:15) and, as a committee under the headship of the high priest, discharged other responsibilities.—Josh. 22:13-16.

This new theocratic state of Israel with its centralized authority still retained the patriarchal arrangement