Lexical Summary
Yakini: Jachinites
Original Word: יָכִיִנִי
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: Yakiyniy
Pronunciation: yah-KEE-nee
Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-kee-nee')
KJV: Jachinites
NASB: Jachinites
Word Origin: [patronymically from H3199 (יָכִין - Jachin)]
1. a Jakinite (collectively) or descendants of Jakin
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Jachinites
Patronymically from Yakiyn; a Jakinite (collectively) or descendants of Jakin -- Jachinites.
see HEBREW Yakiyn
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
YakinDefinitiondesc. of Jachin
NASB TranslationJachinites (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
יָכִינִי adjective, of a people of
יָכִין 1, with article as collective noun ׳הַיּ Numbers 26:12.
Topical Lexicon
Name and Meaning Derived from the root kān (kun, “to establish, to set up”), the designation יָכִיִנִי (Yakini, “Jachinite”) identifies a member of the clan that sprang from Jachin, third son of Simeon. The meaning “He establishes” implicitly ascribes stability and permanence to the action of God, themes that will echo in later uses of the name Jachin in Israel’s history.
Biblical Occurrence
Numbers 26:12 presents the only occurrence of יָכִיִנִי: “The descendants of Simeon by their clans: of Nemuel, the clan of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the clan of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the clan of the Jachinites”. The context is the second wilderness census on the plains of Moab, undertaken just before Israel crossed the Jordan under Joshua’s leadership.
Tribal and Patriarchal Context
1. Patriarchal Lineage
• Jachin first appears in Genesis 46:10 and Exodus 6:15 among the household that migrated to Egypt under Joseph’s protection.
• As part of the Simeonite family tree, the Jachinites shared in Simeon’s tribal destiny, one marked by both decline and preservation.
2. Census Significance
• In Numbers 1, Simeon’s first-generation count had been 59,300. By the second census (Numbers 26), that number fell to 22,200, the most dramatic decrease among the tribes. The Jachinites were therefore part of a shrinking tribe, a sober reminder of the consequences of unbelief during the wilderness years (cf. Numbers 25:1-9).
• The clan listing established inheritance rights once the Promised Land would be allotted (Joshua 19:1-9). Though Simeon’s portion lay within Judah’s greater territory, each clan—including the Jachinites—retained its identity.
Historical Resonance
1. Later Mentions of Jachin
• 1 Kings 7:21 names one of the two bronze pillars at Solomon’s Temple “Jachin.” While unrelated genealogically, the shared root underlines God’s intention to “establish” His house.
• In Chronicles, a priest named Jachin served in Davidic and post-exilic contexts (1 Chronicles 24:17; Nehemiah 11:10). Such recurrence underscores how the theological weight of the name endured even when the Jachinite clan itself fades from record.
2. Simeon’s Absorption into Judah
• By the monarchy, Simeon’s territory was effectively enveloped by Judah (1 Chronicles 4:24-43). The silence concerning distinct Jachinite settlements may suggest assimilation, yet the original listing in Numbers guarantees that God had once counted them one by one.
Theological and Ministry Significance
1. Divine Faithfulness to Every Name
• The census shows that God not only delivers a nation but also “establishes” (yakīn) individual families. Each clan, no matter how small or transient, is known to Him (Isaiah 40:26).
2. Warning and Encouragement
• Simeon’s numerical decline warns against covenant unfaithfulness, while the survival of the name Jachin in Temple and priesthood testifies that God’s purposes cannot be thwarted.
3. Application for the Church
• Believers are likewise counted and set in place (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 2:5). The Jachinite entry reminds ministry leaders to value church membership rolls not as statistics but as testimonies of God’s establishing grace.
• Disciple-making must aim at permanence in the faith community, reflecting the stabilizing intent embodied in the name “He establishes.”
See Also
Genesis 46:10; Exodus 6:15; Numbers 1:23; Numbers 25:1-9; Joshua 19:1-9; 1 Kings 7:21; 1 Chronicles 4:24-43; 1 Chronicles 24:17; Nehemiah 11:10
Forms and Transliterations
הַיָּכִינִֽי׃ היכיני׃ haiyachiNi hay·yā·ḵî·nî hayyāḵînî
Links
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