Lexical Summary Hesli: Hesli Original Word: Ἡσλί Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Esli. Of Hebrew origin (probably for Elyhow'eynay); Esli, an Israelite -- Esli. see HEBREW Elyhow'eynay NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof Hebrew origin Definition Hesli, an Isr. NASB Translation Hesli (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2069: ἘσλειἘσλει (T Tr WH (see WH's Appendix, p. 155, and under the word εἰ, ἰ)) or Ἐσλί, ὁ, Esli, one of Christ's ancestors: Luke 3:25. Topical Lexicon Scriptural Occurrence Esli appears a single time in the New Testament, in Luke 3:25, within the genealogy tracing Jesus Christ “being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph” (Luke 3:23). The verse reads: “the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai” (Luke 3:25). Genealogical Placement in Luke 1. Part of Luke’s unique series of eighteen post-exilic names absent from the Old Testament. Historical Context The generations from Zerubbabel to Joseph span the so-called Intertestamental Period (circa 500–4 BC). Though Scripture records no deeds or dates for Esli, his placement implies: Theological Significance 1. Preservation of Promise. Every name in Luke 3 testifies that God safeguarded a human lineage for the promised “offspring” (Genesis 3:15) despite exile, foreign domination, and cultural upheaval. Relationship to Old Testament Genealogies The Old Testament supplies no parallel for Esli, underscoring the complementary nature of the two canonical genealogies (Matthew 1; Luke 3). Where Matthew moves forward from Abraham through Solomon to Joseph, Luke moves backward from Jesus through Nathan to Adam, each list highlighting different legal or physical lines yet harmonizing in key anchor points (David, Abraham). Esli’s absence from earlier records exemplifies Luke’s dependence on alternative family archives—likely maternal—and, ultimately, divine revelation (Luke 1:3-4). Lessons for Ministry Today • Value Hidden Faithfulness: Esli’s obscurity reminds believers that God notices every faithful generation, even when human history does not. Forms and Transliterations Εσλει Ἐσλεί Ἑσλὶ esli Hesli HeslìLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |