In reading the scriptures there are many names we may not be familiar with, one of those is
Jesurun or Ysehurun/ ישׁהרנ.
Who exactly is Jeshurun ישׁרונ ?
The name is only referenced four times in the TaNaKH/Old Testament and most scholars agree that it’s a term of endearment that our Heavenly Father uses for Yisrael/Israel.
Deuteronomy 32:15; 33:5; 33:26 and Isaiah 44:2.
Deuteronomy 32:15: “But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked. Thou are waxen fat and thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness, then he forsook God which made him and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation.”
Isaiah 44:1 But now listen, O Jacob My servant, Israel, whom I have chosen. 2 This is what the LORD who made you And formed you from the womb, who will help you says, ‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant; And Jeshurun (Israel, the upright one) whom I have chosen.
In Deuteronomy 33:5, it is used to describe the ideal kingship of God over Israel: “So the LORD became King in Jeshurun when the leaders of the people gathered, together with the tribes of Israel.”
Translations from Aramaic: Lamsa Bible Thus says the LORD that made you and formed you from the womb and helped you: Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and you, Israel, whom I have chosen.
Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Thus says LORD JEHOVAH who made you, and he formed you in the womb, and he helped you: “Do not be afraid, my Servant, Yaqob, and Israel, whom I have chosen
These and other translations are available free of charge on biblehub.com
Jeshurun means: straight or upright.
3484 [e] wî·šu·rūn וִישֻׁר֖וּן and you Jeshurun
3484 Yeshurun: Yeshurun
Original Word:יְשֻׁרוּן Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine Transliteration: Yshuruwn Pronunciation:yeh-shoo-ROON Phonetic Spelling:yesh-oo-roon’ Definition:Yeshurun Meaning:Jeshurun
There is no direct Greek equivalent for Jeshurun in the Strong’s Concordance, as it is a specific Hebrew proper noun used uniquely in the context of the Old Testament. However, the concept of Israel as YHVH’s chosen and beloved people is echoed in various Greek terms related to the ecclesia and the people of YHVH in the Brit Chadashah/New Testament.
The term Jeshurun appears in the Hebrew Bible as a symbolic name for Israel, emphasizing the nation’s ideal character as upright and righteous before YHVH and it is used in a few key passages to highlight Israel’s special relationship with Him. Jeshurun is a poetic and affectionate name for the nation of Israel/Yisrael.
Original Word:יָשַׁר Part of Speech:Verb Transliteration: yashar Pronunciation:yah-SHAR Phonetic Spelling:yaw-shar’ Definition: To be straight, right, upright, pleasing Meaning: to be straight, even, to be, right, pleasant, prosperous
The name Jeshurun underscores the ideal of Israel as a people chosen by YHVH to live in righteousness and faithfulness; it has the idea of one mindedness with Him. It serves as a reminder of the nation’s calling to embody uprightness and to maintain a covenant relationship with YHVH and is used when He wants to express His affection for Israel/Yisrael.
As we often find when we study the scriptures, there are many interpretations as to what or who the writer is referring to in the word Jeshurun. Some commentators say it is simply a poetic reference to Israel, however the Rabbis teach that the word Jeshurun is a reference to the noblest and best among us; because the word itself comes from the root word yashar which means to be upright or righteous. I Peter 2:5 talks of the priesthood of all believers and we should read it with the understanding that this isn’t just a reference to those in leadership positions, it is a reference to all of us; true believers as His disciples fit the description or definition of a Jeshurun.
The word is spelled with the letters: Yod, Shin and Resh which suggest being filled with the fire of the Fathers Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit, and representing an individual whom the Father has chosen, with special favor to do something in particular for Him. It could be that many readers have had that feeling; that our Heavenly Father has given special favor on their lives and placed on them a call from His Holy Spirit to carry out some specific work? In that case, He has called you Jeshurun.
Jeshurun is also used in a context of rebuke, where Israel/Yisrael, having grown prosperous, is warned against forsaking YHVH: “But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; you grew fat, thick, and sleek—he abandoned the God who made him and scorned the Rock of his salvation.”
Deuteronomy 32:15 starts off with the name Jeshurun and says that this beloved of God had: waxed fat and kicked.
What is our Heavenly Father talking about…
waxing fat and kicking?
Israel, Jeshurun became fat and disrespectful both physically and spiritually. He is saying to them: You have become fat, overfed, stuffed, gorged! They abandoned the One who made them and prospered them and treated the rock of their salvation shamefully. 16 They made him furious because they worshiped foreign gods and angered him because they worshiped worthless idols. 17 They sacrificed to demons that are not God, to gods they never heard of.
Do we treat our Heavenly Father as some instant wish answering genie, demanding all our dreams to come true?
He is our Heavenly Father, One with Whom we have a love relationship and not a ‘give me what I want now’ relationship.
We all know how parents will pay special attention to a newborn baby giving it everything it wants, however as the child grows older, much of that attention ceases as they must learn to find their own way. This is often the case with new believers and as we grow older in our relationship, the attention which we first received may not seem to be the same. Our Father wants us to look beyond ourselves and see the needs out there in a world that is lost and in darkness. Sadly we become so used to constant attention, that, like those who grew fat and start kicking, when we are not getting an immediate answer to our prayers. Many times we become too attached to the blessings of our Heavenly Father rather than to Him.
Anyone who has any farming experience will know that a well-fed animal, whether a cow/horse/pig/chicken etc., will grow insolent, rebellious and demanding and could well end up kicking or biting their owner if they’re not careful. The animal becomes spoiled and demanding, which is a meaning behind this verse. We too can grow fat and lazy with our Father’s blessings and then when He removes one, we begin to cry, complain and kick. This results in self serving behavior, which is contrary to everything our Savior taught and the results are like that of the well fed livestock. Sadly these traits are some of the dangers of spiritual apathy, our Heavenly Father is simply pointing to our selfishness and we too could end up like Jeshurun, self-absorbed and proud.
In truth each one of us is given special favor from the Father and He has endowed all of us with something special, so we have no need to boast or feel smug. We all serve a unique role in the body of Messiah and no one is more important or special than anyone else.
In taking a closer look at the Hebrew letters in the word for Jeshurun, there is what is called ‘the shadow of the letters’, like an opposite view point or a negative meaning of the Yod, Shin and Resh. This could indicate that we can become unstable and not securely grounded in Him when we allow worldly carnal passions to take us over and influence our decisions and lifestyle. There’s a danger to receiving the Fathers natural blessings in that, we become too attached to them. Would we be able to say what Job did? “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21.
We become too attached to the physical blessings that reflect the prosperity of the world and being successful, e.g. high wages, a house, a car etc., rather than to our Heavenly Father Himself. Perhaps that beautiful house, car etc., was given to us for a special purpose beyond ourselves.
Even though we allow ourselves to become fat, and then kick and scream when we are forced out of our comfort zone, our Heavenly Father still calls us Jeshurun. Despite all our self-centered, selfish demands, we are still His children and He loves us.
InIsaiah 44:2, Jeshurun is used in a comforting promise of YHVH’s care: “This is the word of the LORD your Maker, who formed you from the womb and will help you: Do not be afraid, O Jacob My servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.”
He is patient with us and eventually we stop kicking and screaming and begin to appreciate the One that we have forsaken; and to once again deeply respect Him by repenting of our rebelliousness and appreciating all that He has done for us as the Rock of our salvation.
It’s time to be about our Father’s business and not building our own little kingdoms and then having a breakdown when something interrupts our comfortable lifestyle.
As a last thought,Deuteronomy 33:26 praises YHVH’s unique relationship with Yisrael/Israel:
There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun who rides the heavens to your aid, and the clouds in His majesty.
As His Jeshurun we are looking to the heavens for that same
rider of the clouds, our help, our refuge and strength.
Let’s not be those Jeshurun who have grown fat and kicked against the Father like a spoiled child, but be the Jeshurun who are straight, right, upright, and pleasing to our Messiah as we continue looking unto Him the author and finisher of our faith because every day our full redemption draws closer.
Shalom aleikhem
chaverim and mishpachah!
Peace to friends and family.
Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.
Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.
It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.
You are very precious in His sight.
Not sure ..you can be…
SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,
SAY IT RIGHT NOW…
Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.
I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.
In reading the scriptures there are many names we may not be familiar with, one of those is
