A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | Z | Introduction

Ib | Ic | Id | Ig | Im | Ir | Is | Ish | Iss | It | Iv | Iz

This guide is intended for visitors who want to learn more about the Bible. Please use the hyperlinks in the table above to navigate this page. If you have any comments or suggestions to make about this guide, please e-mail me by clicking on this link.

Ibhar was a son of David, the fifth born in Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 5.15; 1 Chronicles 3.6; 14.5

Ibzan was a Judge of Israel for seven years, the successor to Jephthah and supposed father of thirty sons and thirty daughters. Judges 12.8-10

Ichabod was a son of Phinehas and grandson of Eli. He was born as the news of his father's death was brought to Shiloh. Ichabod's mother died shortly after labour, giving the child a name (meaning “no glory” or “alas for the glory”) which reflected the Israelite defeat by the Philistines. 1 Samuel 4.19-22

Iddo (1) was a son of Zechariah, the chief officer over the half-tribe of Manasseh in David's civil administration, according to the Chronicler. 1 Chronicles 27.21

Iddo (2) was a prophet, whose oracles were contained in a book that became one of the historical sources used by the Chronicler for the reigns of Solomon, Rehoboam, Jeroboam and Abijah. 2 Chronicles 9.29; 12.15

Iddo (3) was a leading Jew at Casiphia, an assistant of Ezra in his organisation of the repair work on the Jerusalem temple. Ezra 8.17

Iddo (4) was the father (or grandfather, through Berechiah) of the prophet Zechariah. Ezra 5.1; 6.14; Nehemiah 12.16

Iezer was the eldest son of Gilead, a grandson of Manasseh. Numbers 26.30

Igal (1) was an Issacharite, a son of Joseph, one of the twelve scouts who undertook the reconnaissance of Canaan. Numbers 13.7

Igal (2) was a son of Nathan of Zobah, a soldier of David's bodyguard. 2 Samuel 23.36

Ilai was an Ahohite, a soldier of David's bodyguard, according to the Chronicler. 1 Chronicles 11.29

Immanuel was a name given to the child of the “young woman” of a prophecy of Isaiah; the name, later identified with Christ, means “God is with us”. Isaiah 7.14

Imnah was the eldest son of Asher. Genesis 46.17; Numbers 26.44; 1 Chronicles 7.30

Iob was the third son of Issachar, according to Genesis. In Numbers and 1 Chronicles, Iob's name is given as Jashub. Genesis 46.13; Numbers 26.24; 1 Chronicles 7.1

Ira (1) was a Gileadite priest, of the Jairite clan, appointed by David. 2 Samuel 20.26

Ira (2) was a Tekoite, the son of Mesh and a warrior of David's bodyguard. 2 Samuel 23.26; 1 Chronicles 11.28; 27.9

Ira (3) was an Ithrite, a warrior of David's bodyguard. 2 Samuel 23.38; 1 Chronicles 11.40

Irad was a descendant of Cain, son of Enoch and father of Mehujael. Genesis 4.18

Iram was an Edomite chief, a descendant of Esau. Genesis 36.43; 1 Chronicles 1.54

Irijah was a sentry who arrested the prophet Jeremiah on suspicion of deserting to the Babylonians. Jeremiah 37.13,14

Isaac was the only son of Abraham and Sarah, a half-brother of Ishmael and father of Esau and Jacob. Isaac was born when both of his parents were very old, the circumstances surrounding his birth being a test of their faith. The meaning of Isaac's name (“he laughs”) is explained by the fact that Abraham laughed when he was told a son would be born to him at the age of a hundred. Abraham's faith was further tested when he was told to sacrifice Isaac but was stopped at the last moment from carrying out this instruction.

Little is known about Isaac by comparison with Abraham and Jacob, but a few biographical details appear in Genesis: his marriage (arranged by Abraham) to Rebekah and his success both in farming and in his territorial disputes with Abimelech, in whose country he stayed during a famine. Of his two sons, Esau was his favourite, but Rebekah and Jacob tricked him into giving his younger son his death-bed blessing. Genesis 17.19; 21.1-12; 22.1-18; 24.1-67; 25.6, 9, 19-28; 26.1-28.9; 35.27-29; 49.31; 50.24; Exodus 2.24; 3.6, 15, 16; 6.3, 8; 32.13; 33.1; Deuteronomy 1.8; 6.10; 9.5; 29.13; 30.20; 34.4; Joshua 24.3, 4; 2 Kings 13.23; 1 Chronicles 1.28, 34; Matthew 1.2; 8.11; 22.32; Mark 12.26; Luke 3.34; 13.28; 20.37; Acts 3.13; 7.8; Romans 9.7, 10; Galatians 4.28; Hebrews 11.9, 17-20; James 2.21

Isaiah was the son of Amoz, a prophet, who was active during the reign of Hezekiah in Judah. Isaiah's oracles are found in the book that bears his name, though many scholars believe that only chapters 1 to 39 come from the time of the historical Isaiah. In his prophecy Isaiah attacked the gross social injustice he saw in his native Judah, exhorting his hearers to place greater trust in God. Both the book of Isaiah and 2 Kings give (with slight differences) duplicate accounts of Isaiah's prediction of the failure of Sennacherib's assault on Jerusalem. 2 Kings 19.2-31; 2 Chronicles 32.20, 32; Isaiah 1.1-66.24; Matthew 3.3; 12.17-21; 15.7-9; Mark 1.2; Luke 3.4-6; 4.17-19; John 1.23; 12.38-41; Acts 8.28, 30-34; 28.25-27; Romans 9.27-29, 33; 10.16, 20, 21

Iscah was the younger of the two children of Haran. Genesis 11.29

Ishbak was a son of Abraham, his fifth by Keturah. Genesis 25.2; 1 Chronicles 1.32

Ishbibenob was a Philistine soldier, the supposed descendant of giants. When he attacked David, Abishai killed Ishbibenob. 2 Samuel 21.16, 17

Ish-bosheth was a son of Saul, on whose death he reigned briefly. Baanah and Rechab murdered him, after his general, Abner, had deserted to David. The assassins brought Ish-bosheth's head, to David, hoping to be rewarded for killing the king's rival. David showed respect for the memory of Saul by executing the killers, and burying the disembodied head in the tomb of Abner at Hebron. 2 Samuel 2.8, 10, 12, 15; 3.7-15; 4.1-3, 5-12; 1 Chronicles 8.33; 9.39

Ishmachiah was an assistant of Conaniah and Shimei, an overseer of the tithes collected on Hezekiah's orders, according to the Chronicler. 2 Chronicles 31.13

Ishmael (1) was the eldest son of Abraham, and of Hagar, Sarah's Egyptian maid, born when the patriarch was eighty-six. After the birth of Isaac, Sarah became jealous of Ishmael and his mother, and sent them into the wilderness of Paran. Here they were miraculously led to an oasis, by which they settled. Ishmael later became the father of twelve sons: Nebaioth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. Genesis 16.11, 12, 15, 16; 17.18, 20, 23-26; 21.9-21; 25.9,12-18; 28.9; 1 Chronicles 1.38-31

Ishmael (2) was the son of Nethaniah, a member of the royal family of Judah. Ishmael opposed cooperation with Babylon, and, in 582 B.C., assassinated the governor Gedaliah. An avenging force, led by Johanan, pursued Ishmael but he escaped capture. 2 Kings 25.23-26; Jeremiah 40.8-41.18.

Ishmaiah was a leader of Zebulun in David's civil administration, according to the Chronicler. 1 Chronicles 27.19

Ishvah was the second son of Asher according to Genesis and the Chronicler, but not mentioned in Numbers. Genesis 46.17; Numbers 26.44-47; 1 Chronicles 7.30

Ishvi was the third son of Asher. Genesis 46.17; Numbers 26.44; 1 Chronicles 7.30

Israel was an alternative name given by God to Jacob, and later adopted as the name of the nation descended from the patriarch. Genesis contains two accounts of Jacob's receiving the new name, which means, “He who strives with God” or “God strives”. Genesis 32.28; 33.20; 35.10, 21, 22; 37.3, 13; 45.21, 28; 46.1, 8, 29, 30; 47.27, 29, 31; 48.2, 8, 10, 13, 14, 20, 21; 49.2; 50.2, 25; Exodus1.1, 7; 32.13; 1 Chronicles 2.1; Luke 1.54

Issachar was the ninth son of Jacob, the sixth by Leah, and the father of Tola, Puvah, Iob and Shimron. The name comes from the noun “sakar”, which means, “hire”. Genesis 30.18; 35.23; 46.13; 49.14,15; Exodus 1.3; Numbers 26.23-25; 1 Chronicles 2.1; 7.1

Ithamar was the fourth son of Aaron, responsible for overseeing the work of providing the equipment of the tabernacle. Ithamar and his brother Eleazar became more prominent after the unnatural premature deaths of their elder brothers, Nadab and Abihu. Exodus 6.23; 28.1; 38.21; 10.6, 7, 9, 12-19; Numbers 3.2-4; 7.8; 26.60; 1 Chronicles 6.3; 24.2-6

Ithmah was a Moabite, a soldier of David's bodyguard, according to the Chronicler. 1 Chronicles 11.46

Ithra was an Ishmaelite, the father of Amasa by Abigal, Zeruiah's sister. Ithra is known by the Chronicler as Jether. 2 Samuel 17.25; 1 Chronicles 2.17

Ithran was the third son of Dishon, the grandson of Seir the Horite. Genesis 36.26; 1 Chronicles 1.41

Ithrean was the sixth son of David, his first by Eglah, born at Hebron. 2 Samuel 3.5; 1 Chronicles 3.3

Ittai (1) was a Philistine mercenary, one (perhaps the leader) of some six hundred from Gath in David's army. At the time of Absalom's rebellion, David tried to persuade Ittai and his men to return to Gath. Ittai insisted on staying with David, however, and led a third of the king's forces into the battle in which the rebels were defeated. 2 Samuel 15.19-22; 18.2, 5, 12

Ittai (2) was a Benjaminite of Gibeah, the son of Ribai, and a soldier of David's bodyguard. 2 Samuel 23.29; 1 Chronicles 11.31

Ivvah (the king of) of was an unnamed Mesopotamian chieftain apparently defeated by Sennacherib. He was one of a number of defeated enemies referred to by the Assyrian messengers in their challenge to the besieged Hezekiah. 2 Kings 19.13; Isaiah 37.13

Izhar was the second son of Kohath, a grandson of Levi and the father of Korah and Shelomith. Numbers 3.19; 16.1; 1 Chronicles 6.2,18; 23.12,18