Easton's Bible Dictionary

Ishbak Leaving, one of Abraham's sons by Keturah (Gen 25:2).

Ishbi-benob My seat at Nob, one of the Rephaim, whose spear was three hundred shekels in weight. He was slain by Abishai (Sa2 21:16, Sa2 21:17).

Ish-bosheth Man of shame or humiliation, the youngest of Saul's four sons, and the only one who survived him (2 Sam. 2-4). His name was originally Eshbaal (Ch1 8:33; Ch1 9:39). He was about forty years of age when his father and three brothers fell at the battle of Gilboa, Through the influence of Abner, Saul's cousin, he was acknowledge as successor to the throne of Saul, and ruled over all Israel, except the tribe of Judah (over whom David was king), for two years, having Mahanaim, on the east of Jordan, as his capital (Sa2 2:9). After a troubled and uncertain reign he was murdered by his guard, who stabbed him while he was asleep on his couch at mid-day (Sa2 4:5); and having cut off his head, presented it to David, who sternly rebuked them for this cold-blooded murder, and ordered them to be immediately executed (Sa2 4:9).

Ishi My husband, a symbolical name used in Hos 2:16 (See BAALI.)

Ishmael God hears. (1.) Abraham's eldest son, by Hagar the concubine (Gen 16:15; Gen 17:23). He was born at Mamre, when Abraham was eighty-six years of age, eleven years after his arrival in Canaan (Gen 16:3; Gen 21:5). At the age of thirteen he was circumcised (Gen 17:25). He grew up a true child of the desert, wild and wayward. On the occasion of the weaning of Isaac his rude and wayward spirit broke out in expressions of insult and mockery (Gen 21:9, Gen 21:10); and Sarah, discovering this, said to Abraham, "Expel this slave and her son." Influenced by a divine admonition, Abraham dismissed Hagar and her son with no more than a skin of water and some bread. The narrative describing this act is one of the most beautiful and touching incidents of patriarchal life (Gen 21:14). (See HAGAR.) Ishmael settled in the land of Paran, a region lying between Canaan and the mountains of Sinai; and "God was with him, and he became a great archer" (Gen 21:9). He became a great desert chief, but of his history little is recorded. He was about ninety years of age when his father Abraham died, in connection with whose burial he once more for a moment reappears. On this occasion the two brothers met after being long separated. "Isaac with his hundreds of household slaves, Ishmael with his troops of wild retainers and half-savage allies, in all the state of a Bedouin prince, gathered before the cave of Machpelah, in the midst of the men of Heth, to pay the last duties to the 'father of the faithful,' would make a notable subject for an artist" (Gen 25:9). Of the after events of his life but little is known. He died at the age of one hundred and thirty-seven years, but where and when are unknown (Gen 25:17). He had twelve sons, who became the founders of so many Arab tribes or colonies, the Ishmaelites, who spread over the wide desert spaces of Northern Arabia from the Red Sea to the Euphrates (Gen 37:25, Gen 37:27, Gen 37:28; Gen 39:1), "their hand against every man, and every man's hand against them." (2.) The son of Nethaniah, "of the seed royal" (Jer 40:8, Jer 40:15). He plotted against Gedaliah, and treacherously put him and others to death. He carried off many captives, "and departed to go over to the Ammonites."

Ishmaiah Heard by Jehovah. (1.) A Gibeonite who joined David at Ziklag, "a hero among the thirty and over the thirty" (Ch1 12:4). (2.) Son of Obadiah, and viceroy of Zebulun under David and Solomon (Ch1 27:19).

Ishmeelites (Gen 37:28; Gen 39:1, A.V.) should be "Ishmaelites," as in the Revised Version.

Ishtob Man of Tob, one of the small Syrian kingdoms which together constituted Aram (Sa2 10:6, Sa2 10:8).

Island (Heb. 'i , "dry land," as opposed to water) occurs in its usual signification (Isa 42:4, Isa 42:10, Isa 42:12, Isa 42:15, compare Jer 47:4), but more frequently simply denotes a maritime region or sea-coast (Isa 20:6, R.V.," coastland;" Isa 23:2, Isa 23:6; Jer 2:10; Eze 27:6, Eze 27:7). (See CHITTIM.) The shores of the Mediterranean are called the "islands of the sea" (Isa 11:11), or the "isles of the Gentiles" (Gen 10:5), and sometimes simply "isles" (Psa 72:10); Eze 26:15, Eze 26:18; Eze 27:3, Eze 27:35; Dan 11:18).