Kish is a significant figure in the Old Testament, primarily known as the father of Saul, the first king of Israel. His lineage and role are mentioned in several passages, providing insight into his family background and the tribal affiliations of Israel during the time of the judges and the early monarchy.

Genealogy and Family Background

Kish was a Benjamite, belonging to the tribe of Benjamin, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. His genealogy is detailed in 1 Samuel 9:1: "Now there was a man of Benjamin named Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite of standing." This lineage highlights Kish's noble standing within the tribe, suggesting a family of some prominence and influence.

Role in the Narrative of Saul

Kish's most notable contribution to biblical history is his role as the father of Saul. In 1 Samuel 9, Kish sends his son Saul to find their lost donkeys, a task that ultimately leads Saul to the prophet Samuel. This encounter sets the stage for Saul's anointing as king over Israel. The narrative underscores Kish's wealth and status, as owning donkeys was a sign of prosperity.

Kish in the Context of Israel's Monarchy

The account of Kish and his family is pivotal in the transition from the period of the judges to the establishment of the monarchy in Israel. As the father of the first king, Kish's household becomes central to the unfolding of Israel's national history. His son Saul's reign marks a significant shift in Israel's governance, moving from a loose confederation of tribes to a centralized monarchy.

Other References to Kish

Kish is also mentioned in the genealogies of 1 Chronicles. In 1 Chronicles 8:33 and 1 Chronicles 9:39, Kish is listed as the father of Saul, reinforcing his place in the lineage of Israel's first royal family. These genealogical records serve to connect the narrative of Saul with the broader history of the tribe of Benjamin and the nation of Israel.

Kish's Legacy

While Kish himself does not play a prominent role in the biblical narrative beyond his connection to Saul, his legacy is carried forward through his descendants. Saul's kingship, though fraught with challenges and ultimately rejected by God, represents a critical juncture in Israel's history. Kish's lineage continues through Saul's son Jonathan and grandson Mephibosheth, who are notable figures in the biblical account.

In summary, Kish is a figure whose significance is primarily derived from his role as the progenitor of Israel's first king. His mention in the biblical text provides a glimpse into the tribal dynamics and familial structures of ancient Israel, setting the stage for the dramatic events of Saul's rise and fall as king.Kish

hard; difficult; straw; for age

Kish

(a bow).

1. The father of Saul; a Benjamite of the family of Matri. (B.C. 1095.)
2. Son of Jehiel and uncle to the preceding. (1 Chronicles 9:36)
3. A Benjamite, great-grandfather of Mordecai. (Esther 2:5)
4. A Merarite of the house of Mahli, of the tribe of Levi. (1 Chronicles 23:21,22; 24:28,29)

A bow.

(1.) A Levite of the family of Merari (1 Chronicles 23:21; 24:29).

(2.) A Benjamite of Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 8:30; 9:36).

(3.) A Levite in the time of Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29:12).

(4.) The great-grandfather of Mordecai (Esther 2:5).

(5.) A Benjamite, the son of Abiel, and father of king Saul (1 Samuel 9:1, 3; 10:11, 21; 14:51; 2 Samuel 21:14). All that is recorded of him is that he sent his son Saul in search of his asses that had strayed, and that he was buried in Zelah. Called Cis, Acts 13:21 (R.V., Kish).

(n.) A workman's name for the graphite which forms incidentally in iron smelting.KISH

kish (qish; Kis, Keis, "bow," "power"): The name of five persons mentioned in the Bible:

(1) The son of Abiel and the father of Saul, the first king of Israel. He was of the tribe of Benjamin, of the family of the Matrites (1 Samuel 9:1; 1 Samuel 14:51; compare Acts 13:21 1 Samuel 10:21). According to 1 Chronicles 8:33 and 9:39, "Ner begat Kish" By reading "Ner begat Abner" (compare 1 Samuel 14:51 1 Chronicles 6:28), the difficulty is at least partly overcome. In 1 Chronicles 12:1, Kish is also mentioned as the father of Saul, and again in 2 Samuel 21:14, we are told that the sepulcher of Kish was located in the country of Benjamin, in Zela. His place of residence seems to have been at Gibeah.

(2) Another Kish is mentioned (1 Chronicles 8:29; 1 Chronicles 9:35 f) as the son of Jeiel and his wife Maacah. He is usually supposed to be the uncle of Saul's father.

(3) A Levite, the son of Mahli the Merarite (1 Chronicles 23:21; compare 24:29).

(4) Another Merarite Levite in the time of Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29:12).

(5) The great-grandfather of Mordecai, of the tribe of Benjamin (Esther 2:5).

William Baur

2797. Kis -- Kish, the father of King Saul
... Kish, the father of King Saul. Part of Speech: Proper Noun, Indeclinable
Transliteration: Kis Phonetic Spelling: (kis) Short Definition: Kish Definition: ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2797.htm - 6k5369. Ner -- father of Abner, also the father of Kish
... 5368, 5369. Ner. 5370 . father of Abner, also the father of Kish.
Transliteration: Ner Phonetic Spelling: (nare) Short Definition: Ner. ...
/hebrew/5369.htm - 6k

6872c. Tseror -- grandfather of Kish
... grandfather of Kish. Transliteration: Tseror Short Definition: Zeror. Word Origin
from the same as tsar Definition grandfather of Kish NASB Word Usage Zeror (1) ...
/hebrew/6872c.htm - 5k

7027. Qish -- father of Saul, also the name of several other Isr.
... father of Saul, also the name of several other Isr. Transliteration: Qish Phonetic
Spelling: (keesh) Short Definition: Kish. ... NASB Word Usage Kish (21). Kish. ...
/hebrew/7027.htm - 6k

7191. Qishyon -- a city in Issachar
... 7190, 7191. Qishyon. 7192 . a city in Issachar. Transliteration: Qishyon
Phonetic Spelling: (kish-yone') Short Definition: Kishion. ...
/hebrew/7191.htm - 6k

7180. qishshuah -- a cucumber
... 7179, 7180. qishshuah. 7181 . a cucumber. Transliteration: qishshuah
Phonetic Spelling: (kish-shoo') Short Definition: cucumbers. ...
/hebrew/7180.htm - 5k

3788. kishron -- skill, success
... 3787, 3788. kishron. 3789 . skill, success. Transliteration: kishron Phonetic
Spelling: (kish-rone') Short Definition: skill. Word ...
/hebrew/3788.htm - 6k

3783. kishshalon -- a stumbling
... 3782, 3783. kishshalon. 3784 . a stumbling. Transliteration: kishshalon Phonetic
Spelling: (kish-shaw-lone') Short Definition: stumbling. ...
/hebrew/3783.htm - 6k

7196. qishshurim -- bands, sashes
... 7195, 7196. qishshurim. 7197 . bands, sashes. Transliteration: qishshurim
Phonetic Spelling: (kish-shoor') Short Definition: attire. ...
/hebrew/7196.htm - 6k

How Samuel Found a Leader
... THE OLD TESTAMENT HOW SAMUEL FOUND A LEADER. There was a rich Benjamite named Kish,
who lived at Gibeah. ... Now the asses of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/how samuel found a leader.htm

The Appointment of a King Over the Israelites, Whose Name was Saul ...
... God. 1. Ther was one of the tribe of Benjamin, a man of a good family,
and of a virtuous disposition; his name was Kish. He had ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 4 the appointment of.htm

The Making of a King.
... up to the hill of sacrifice he met a tall, noble looking young man, who, with his
servant, was looking for the lost asses of his father, Kish, the Benjaminite. ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xviii the making of.htm

The King after Man's Heart
... When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family
of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the king after mans heart.htm

Babylonia and Assyria
... In the neighbourhood of Babylon were Kish (El-Hymar) and Kutha (Tel-Ibrahim); somewhat
to the north of it, and on the banks of the Euphrates, was Sippara or ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm

The First Kings.
... God had selected the first monarch of earth outside of heathenism. In the comparatively
small tribe of Benjamin, was a man of honorable ancestry named Kish. ...
/.../headley/half hours in bible lands volume 2/the first kings.htm

Sennacherib (705-681 BC )
... The magnificent army left by Sargon was at his disposal, and summoning it at once
into the field, he advanced on the town of Kish, where the Kalda monarch was ...
/.../chapter isennacherib 705-681 b c.htm

History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 8
... on the accession of Sennacherib -- Revolt of Babylon: return of Merodach-baladan
and his efforts to form a coalition against Assyria; the battle of Kish (703 BC ...
/.../history of egypt chaldaea syria babylonia and assyria v 8/title page.htm

The Kingdom of all Israel.
... Their entreaty was granted, and in 1094 BC Saul the son of Kish, of the small but
fierce tribe of Benjamin, was appointed by God, and anointed like a priest by ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson vi the kingdom of.htm

A Wise Desire
... There would be one who stands like Saul, the son of Kish, head and shoulders taller
than all the rest, whom we should at once select to be our king and ruler ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/a wise desire.htm

Kish (18 Occurrences)
... in Zelah. Called Cis, Acts 13:21 (RV, Kish). Noah Webster's Dictionary. (n.)
A ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. KISH. kish (qish; Kis, Keis ...
/k/kish.htm - 15k

Kish'ion (1 Occurrence)
Kish'ion. Ki'shion, Kish'ion. Kishon . Multi-Version Concordance
Kish'ion (1 Occurrence). Joshua 19:20 and Rabbith, and ...
/k/kish'ion.htm - 6k

Ner (17 Occurrences)
... Light, the father of Kish (1 Chronicles 8:33). ... 1 Samuel 14:51 Kish was the father
of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. ...
/n/ner.htm - 13k

Jerahmeel (9 Occurrences)
... (2.) The son of Kish, a Levite (1 Chronicles 24:29). (3.) Son of Hammelech (Jeremiah
36:26). Int. ... (2) A Merarite Levite, son of Kish (1 Chronicles 24:29). ...
/j/jerahmeel.htm - 11k

Eshbaal (2 Occurrences)
... 1 Chronicles 8:33 Ner became the father of Kish; and Kish became the father of Saul;
and Saul became the father of Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and ...
/e/eshbaal.htm - 7k

Esh-baal (2 Occurrences)
... Esh-baal (2 Occurrences). 1 Chronicles 8:33 And Ner begot Kish; and Kish begot Saul;
and Saul begot Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Esh-baal. ...
/e/esh-baal.htm - 7k

Malki-shua (5 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). 1 Chronicles 8:33 And Ner begot Kish; and Kish begot Saul; and Saul begot
Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal. (See NIV). ...
/m/malki-shua.htm - 7k

Malchi-shua (5 Occurrences)
... (BBE WBS NAS). 1 Chronicles 8:33 And Ner begat Kish; and Kish begat Saul; and
Saul begat Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal. ...
/m/malchi-shua.htm - 8k

Malchishua (5 Occurrences)
... 1 Chronicles 8:33 Ner became the father of Kish; and Kish became the father of Saul;
and Saul became the father of Jonathan, and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and ...
/m/malchishua.htm - 9k

Mal'chishu'a (5 Occurrences)
... (See RSV). 1 Chronicles 8:33 And Ner begot Kish; and Kish begot Saul; and Saul begot
Jonathan, and Malchi-shua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal. (See RSV). ...
/m/mal'chishu'a.htm - 7k

Who was Mordecai in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who was King Saul in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean that Saul is also among the prophets? | GotQuestions.org

Kish: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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