the Week of Proper 26 / Ordinary 31
Click here to join the effort!
Bible Encyclopedias
Jeshurun
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or (Heb. Yeshurun', יְשֻׁרוּן ), a poetical appellation of the people of Israel, used in token of affection and tenderness, occurring four times (Deuteronomy 32:15, Sept. Ι᾿ακώβ , Vulg. dilectus; Deuteronomy 33:5; Deuteronomy 33:26, and Isaiah 44:2 [A. Vers. in this latter passage "Jesurun"]; Sept. ἠγαπημένος, Vulgate rectissimus). The term is (according to Mercer in Pagnini, Thes. 1, p. 1105; Mich. in Suppl., and others) a diminutive (after the form of Zebulun, Jeduthun, etc.) from יָשׁוּר i.q. יָשָׁר (compare שָׁלוּם and שָׁלֵם ), q.d. rectulus, a ‘ rightling," i.e. the dear upright people. Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion have in Isaiah εὐθύς, elsewhere εύθύτατος ; Kimchi says, "Israel is so called as being just among the nations;" so also Aben-Ezra and Saadias (in the Pent.) interpret. Others, as Grotius, understand the word as a diminutive from "Israel" itself, and so apparently the Chald., Syriac, and Saadias (in Isaiah), but against the analogy of derivation. Ilgen (D)e imnbre lapideo, p. 25, and in Paulus, Memoreabil. 6, p. 157) gives a far fetched derivation from the Arabic, and other fanciful explanations may be seen in Jo. Olpius's Diss. de ישרון (praeside Theod. Hasaeo, Breme, 1730). The passages where it is employed seem to express the idea that in the character of righteous Jehovah recognized his people in consideration of their covenant relation to him, whereby, while they observed the terms of that covenant, they stood legally justified before him and clean in his sight. It is in this sense that the pious kings are said to have done הִיָּשָׁר, "that which was right" in the eyes of Jehovah, i.e. what God approved (1 Kings 11:34, etc.).
These files are public domain.
McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Jeshurun'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/j/jeshurun.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
