Lexical Summary Yob: Job Original Word: יוֹב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Job Perhaps a form of Yowbab, but more probably by erroneous transcription for Yashuwb; Job, an Israelite -- Job. see HEBREW Yowbab see HEBREW Yashuwb NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a son of Issachar NASB Translation Iob (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs יוֺב proper name, masculine son of Issachar Genesis 46:13, but read rather יָשׁוּב as ⅏ Numbers 26:24; 1 Chronicles 7:1(Qr) ᵑ6 Ol and others; ᵐ5 Ιασουφ, ᵐ5L Ιασουβ. Topical Lexicon Biblical OccurrenceGenesis 46:13: “The sons of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Job, and Shimron.” Tribal Context and Genealogical Significance Yob appears in Scripture as one of the four sons of Issachar who relocated to Egypt with Jacob’s household during the famine. His inclusion within the migration list underscores the completeness of the covenant family that Yahweh preserved in Goshen. The tribal census recorded in Numbers 26 and the chronicler’s summary in 1 Chronicles 7 replace the name with “Jashub,” a likely alternate form or clan representation. Such dual naming is not unusual in the genealogies (compare Gideon/Jerubbaal in Judges 6:32). Whether “Yob” and “Jashub” denote the same person, an eponymous ancestor, or successive generations, the text affirms the continuity of Issachar’s line from the patriarchal period through the settlement of Canaan. Historical Considerations 1. Clan Formation. In the wilderness census (Numbers 26:23–24) the family of the “Jashubites” is counted at 41,500 fighting men, making Issachar’s tribe one of the larger contingents entering the land. This indicates that the descendants of Yob/Jashub grew into a significant military clan that contributed to Israel’s conquest and defense. 2. Geographic Allotment. Issachar’s inheritance lay in the fertile Jezreel Valley (Joshua 19:17–23). Rabbinic tradition associates the clan of Job/Jashub with the plains near Mount Tabor, an area famed for both agricultural productivity and strategic military value (Judges 4:6). Hence Yob’s line enjoyed material blessing and regional influence consistent with Jacob’s prophetic blessing that Issachar would “bow his shoulder to bear a burden” (Genesis 49:15). 3. Textual Stability. The alternating forms “Yob” and “Jashub” provide a case study in the careful preservation of Israel’s records. Rather than undermining reliability, such variations highlight the multi‐layered transmission of genealogies as family groups reorganized under changing circumstances (emigration, wilderness march, settlement). Theological Significance 1. Faithfulness Remembered. Although Yob himself remains a silent figure, his name in Genesis 46 testifies that the LORD’s covenant embraces both the renowned and the obscure. Every individual who passed through Jacob’s household into Egypt became part of the redemptive storyline that culminated in the Exodus. 2. Providence in the Ordinary. The presence of unheralded names reminds readers that salvation history advances as God works through everyday families. Yob’s descendants, like countless believers, fulfilled roles essential to collective obedience even if their deeds went unrecorded. 3. Covenant Continuity. By tracking Issachar’s sons from Egypt to the Plains of Moab to Canaan, Scripture illustrates the constancy of divine promise across centuries. Yob’s family tree becomes one thread in the tapestry that leads to the birth of Messiah from Israel. New Testament Echoes Genealogical interest reappears in Matthew 1 and Luke 3, where individual names authenticate Jesus Christ’s legal and prophetic qualifications. The principle is the same: God honors historical lineage without neglecting personal faith. Furthermore, 1 Peter 2:9 applies tribal language to the church, showing that believers inherit the legacy of names like Yob by becoming “a chosen people” in Christ. Ministry Application 1. Valuing the Hidden Work. Pastors and leaders can draw encouragement from Yob’s anonymity; vital kingdom impact often arises from those whose names seldom surface in public narratives. 2. Teaching Genealogies Devotionally. Congregations gain appreciation for Scripture’s unity when genealogical passages are expounded, not skipped. Yob’s brief mention can launch discussions on God’s meticulous care for each believer. 3. Encouraging Covenant Identity. As Yob’s clan persisted through hardship, so modern believers persevere in the assurance that God sustains families and congregations through shifting cultural landscapes. Summary Yob, though noted only once by name, embodies the quiet faithfulness woven throughout biblical history. His place among the sons of Issachar affirms the value of every covenant member, demonstrates God’s providential preservation of lineage, and invites contemporary disciples to find significance in steadfast, often unseen service to the Lord. Forms and Transliterations וְי֥וֹב ויוב veYov wə·yō·wḇ wəyōwḇLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 46:13 HEB: תּוֹלָ֥ע וּפֻוָּ֖ה וְי֥וֹב וְשִׁמְרֽוֹן׃ NAS: Tola and Puvvah and Iob and Shimron. KJV: and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron. INT: Tola and Puvvah and Iob and Shimron 1 Occurrence |
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