6232. Esheq

Lexical Summary

Esheq: Oppression, extortion

Original Word: עֵשֶׁק
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: `Esheq
Pronunciation: eh'-shek
Phonetic Spelling: (ay-shek')
KJV: Eshek
NASB: Eshek
Word Origin: [from H6231 (עָשַׁק - oppress)]

1. oppression
2. Eshek, an Israelite

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Eshek

From ashaq; oppression; Eshek, an Israelite -- Eshek.

see HEBREW ashaq

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from ashaq
Definition
a Benjamite
NASB Translation
Eshek (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

עֵ֫שֶׁק proper name, masculine Benjamite 1 Chronicles 8:39, Ασηλ, Ασεκ.

Topical Lexicon

Name and Meaning

Eshek (עֵשֶׁק) carries the sense of “oppression” or “extortion,” reflecting a root idea of unjust pressure. When given as a personal name it may have expressed either a parental hope for deliverance from oppression or a testimony to God’s justice in the midst of social hardship—common motives behind ancient Hebrew naming customs.

Biblical Occurrence

1 Chronicles 8:39 places Eshek within the tribe of Benjamin: “The sons of Eshek were Ulam the firstborn, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third.”

Genealogical Context

1 Chronicles chapters 8 and 9 trace Benjamite lines from the post-exilic period back to the early monarchy. Eshek appears near the close of a segment that follows the descendants of Shaharaim through Abishua, Azel, and Hodaviah. His three sons form the last named generation in this list.
• By recording even comparatively obscure figures like Eshek, Scripture affirms that every covenant household matters in God’s redemptive history.
• The placement in the Benjamite register indirectly underscores the future emergence of the Apostle Paul, another Benjamite who will extend the witness of Israel’s Messiah to the nations (Philippians 3:5).

Historical Significance

Although Eshek’s life account is unrevealed, his appearance in a post-exilic genealogy signals several important realities:

1. The tribe of Benjamin survived exile and returned, maintaining its identity despite displacement.
2. Families such as Eshek’s contributed to the repopulation of the land around Jerusalem, reinforcing the restoration community.
3. The chronicler’s interest in Benjamite clans serves the larger purpose of validating the Davidic kingdom’s legitimacy, since Benjamin remained closely allied with Judah after the schism (1 Kings 12:21).

Theological and Ministry Implications

1. God remembers the forgotten. A solitary mention is enough for the Holy Spirit to enshrine Eshek in Scripture, encouraging believers who feel anonymous (Isaiah 49:16).
2. Naming and mission. The ironic pairing of a name meaning “oppression” with descendants who prosper foreshadows the gospel’s promise that God transforms hardship into blessing (Romans 8:28).
3. Corporate identity. Genealogies remind modern congregations that faith is lived in community and across generations; ministry planning should therefore honor both ancestors in the faith and posterity yet unborn (Psalm 78:4-7).

Lessons for Contemporary Discipleship

• Embrace your place in God’s unfolding story; prominence is not prerequisite for significance.
• Uphold justice. The semantic backdrop of Eshek warns against participating in oppression while calling believers to advocate for the vulnerable (Micah 6:8).
• Cultivate generational faithfulness. Eshek’s sons—Ulam, Jeush, and Eliphelet—stand as a testament that spiritual legacy is transmitted through intentional family discipleship (2 Timothy 1:5).

Forms and Transliterations

עֵ֣שֶׁק עשק ‘ê·šeq ‘êšeq Eshek

Englishman's Concordance

1 Chronicles 8:39
HEB: וּבְנֵ֖י עֵ֣שֶׁק אָחִ֑יו אוּלָ֣ם
NAS: The sons of Eshek his brother
KJV: And the sons of Eshek his brother
INT: the sons of Eshek his brother Ulam

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 6232
1 Occurrence

‘ê·šeq — 1 Occ.