Strong's Hebrew: 3274. יְעִישׁ (Yeish) -- There is, there are

◄ 3274. Yeish ►

Lexical Summary

Yeish: There is, there are

Original Word: יְעִישׁ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Y`iysh
Pronunciation: yay-sh
Phonetic Spelling: (yeh-eesh')
KJV: Jeush (from the margin)
Word Origin: [from H5789 (עוּשׁ - hasten)]

1. hasty
2. Jeish, the name of an Edomite and of a an Israelite

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Jeush

From uwsh; hasty; Jeish, the name of an Edomite and of a an Israelite -- Jeush (from the margin). Compare y'uwsh.

see HEBREW uwsh

see HEBREW y'uwsh

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
the same as Yeush, q.v.

Topical Lexicon

Overview

The form יְעִישׁ (Strong’s Hebrew 3274) does not occur in the received Hebrew text, yet it belongs to the same verbal family that supplies the Old Testament with the idea of “despair” or “losing hope.” Its very absence in Scripture invites reflection on how the biblical writers treat the themes of hopelessness and divine intervention.

Canonical Silence and Textual Curiosity

Because יְעִישׁ is unattested, its study immediately pushes the reader to passages where closely related forms appear (for example Job 6:26; Isaiah 57:10; Jeremiah 2:25). The lack of a direct occurrence underscores a truth found elsewhere in Scripture: God’s message is not confined to a single word or verse but is woven into an entire canonical fabric. Textual silence can serve as a theological pointer, calling attention to the broader witness of Scripture on the topic the root suggests.

Root Connections and Theological Themes

1. Despair versus Hope
• Job 6:26: “Do you intend to correct my words, and treat my desperate words as wind?”.
• Isaiah 57:10: “You were wearied by your many journeys, but you did not say, ‘It is hopeless.’”

These passages expose the human tendency toward hopelessness while simultaneously revealing God’s sustaining grace.

2. Abandonment versus Divine Faithfulness
• Psalm 22:1 frames the anguish of apparent abandonment, yet the psalmist ultimately declares, “You who fear the LORD, praise Him!” (Psalm 22:23).
• Lamentations 3:21-24 counters despair with the resolve, “Great is Your faithfulness.”

3. Repentance and Renewal

The prophetic call to forsake despair (“Do not say, ‘There is no hope’,” Jeremiah 18:12) lays the groundwork for the New Testament proclamation that “in His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope” (1 Peter 1:3).

Historical and Cultural Insights

In ANE literature, loss of hope was often depicted as the end of meaningful existence. Israel’s Scriptures, however, consistently pit human despair against the covenant faithfulness of YHWH. Even when Israel languished in exile, the prophets announced a future grounded in God’s steadfast love (Jeremiah 31:17). The linguistic kinship of יְעִישׁ with that vocabulary highlights Israel’s counter-cultural conviction that despair is never the last word for God’s people.

Intertextual Echoes

While יְעִישׁ itself is silent, its root is echoed in:
• 1 Samuel 27:1, where David, on the brink of giving up, says, “I will perish one day by the hand of Saul.”
• 2 Corinthians 1:8-9, where Paul “despaired even of life,” only to learn to “rely not on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.”

These resonances bind the Testaments together in a unified testimony: human hopelessness is answered by divine deliverance.

Pastoral and Ministry Implications

1. Addressing Despair in God’s People

Shepherds can draw upon the lexical family of יְעִישׁ to validate the reality of despair while directing believers to the hope supplied in Christ (Romans 15:13).

2. Counseling and Lament

Encouraging congregations to practice biblical lament (Psalm 13; Habakkuk 1-3) allows honest expression without surrendering to hopelessness.

3. Evangelistic Application

The message that “we were without hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12) but are now brought near through Christ provides a gospel bridge from despair to redemption.

Christological and Eschatological Reflections

At the cross the Savior entered the deepest human despair—“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46)—so that believers might inherit an unshakeable hope (Hebrews 6:19-20). The vacant lexical slot of יְעִישׁ ironically points forward to an eschaton where every trace of despair is banished: “He will wipe away every tear” (Revelation 21:4).

Conclusion

Though יְעִישׁ never surfaces in the biblical narrative, the conceptual world to which it belongs is crucial. Scripture acknowledges human hopelessness, counters it with covenant faithfulness, and culminates in the living hope secured by the risen Christ. In preaching, teaching, and counseling, the lessons drawn from this silent lexeme can animate a robust theology of hope that speaks powerfully to every generation.

Links

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