Issachar
Pronounced IS-uh-kar
- Meaning
- "There is a reward; He brings wages"
- Origin
- Hebrew
Issachar means "there is a reward" or "he brings wages" in Hebrew. He was the ninth son of Jacob and the fifth son of Leah. His name reflects the circumstances of his conception — Leah had "hired" Jacob's company from Rachel in exchange for her son's mandrakes. Jacob's blessing described Issachar as "a strong ass couching down between two burdens: And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute." This image portrays a tribe of diligent workers who valued productive labor and fertile land. The tribe of Issachar settled in the rich agricultural region of the Jezreel Valley. They became known for wisdom and understanding — "the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do" (1 Chronicles 12:32). This description has made Issachar a model for believers who combine hard work with strategic discernment. Issachar's legacy is one of industrious wisdom — people who understood both the seasons of the earth and the times of God's purposes.
Spiritual meaning
Issachar — 'there is a reward' — produced people who understood the times. Their legacy teaches that true wisdom combines diligent labor with discernment of what God is doing in every season.
Related verses (KJV)
"And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar."
Genesis 30:18 (KJV) →"And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do."
1 Chronicles 12:32 (KJV) →