Lexical Summary yereshah: Possession, inheritance Original Word: יְרֵשָׁה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance possession From yarash; occupancy -- possession. see HEBREW yarash NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom yarash Definition possession. Brown-Driver-Briggs יְרֵשָׁה noun feminine a possession, used of nation וְהָיָה אֱדוֺם יְרֵשַׁה וְהָיָה יְרֵשָׁה שֵׂעִיר אֹיְבָיו Numbers 24:18 (JE). Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope יְרֵשָׁה denotes land or territory that passes into the hands of a new owner, especially by divine grant or conquest. The word therefore blends the idea of “inheritance” with the idea of “possession taken from another,” highlighting both gift and victory. Old Testament Usage The term appears twice in Numbers 24:18, where Balaam prophesies: “Edom will become a possession, and Seir will be a possession to his enemies, but Israel will perform with valor.” (Numbers 24:18) In the parallelism of Hebrew poetry, the repetition intensifies the certainty that Edom’s territory will come under Israel’s control. Even though the immediate fulfillment awaited centuries, Scripture records steady pressure on Edom by David (2 Samuel 8:13-14) and later Judean kings (2 Kings 14:7). Ultimately Obadiah 18-21 foresees complete possession of Esau’s mountains by the people of the LORD, showing that Balaam’s word remained active beyond Israel’s monarchy. Context of Numbers 24 Balaam, hired to curse Israel, is compelled by the Spirit to bless them and to announce Israel’s dominion over surrounding peoples. The promise of possession stands within four oracles that affirm God’s irrevocable commitment to the descendants of Abraham. יְרֵשָׁה thereby ties to the Abrahamic pledge: “To your offspring I will give this land.” (Genesis 12:7) Theological Themes 1. Covenant Fulfillment: יְרֵשָׁה confirms that God’s sworn word about the land will not fail, despite human opposition (Isaiah 14:1-2). Prophetic Horizon Later prophets pick up the motif. Obadiah 17 declares, “The house of Jacob will possess their possessions.” Daniel 7:27 extends the idea: “The kingdom… shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High.” יְרֵשָׁה thus functions as a seed of the broader biblical doctrine of a worldwide inheritance under Messiah’s reign (Psalm 2:8). Ministry Application • Assurance: As Israel could trust God for tangible territory, believers trust Him for every spiritual blessing “in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). Related Concepts Possession (Leviticus 25:45), Inheritance (Joshua 14:1), Heritage (Psalm 16:6), Kingdom (Matthew 25:34). Together they enlarge the portrait begun by יְרֵשָׁה: God’s people receiving, occupying, and enjoying what He has promised forever. Forms and Transliterations יְרֵשָׁ֗ה יְרֵשָׁ֛ה ירשה yə·rê·šāh yərêšāh yereShahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 24:18 HEB: וְהָיָ֨ה אֱד֜וֹם יְרֵשָׁ֗ה וְהָיָ֧ה יְרֵשָׁ֛ה KJV: And Edom shall be a possession, Seir INT: become and Edom possession shall be a possession Numbers 24:18 2 Occurrences |
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