Jeshurun

2024-03-12

This personal name for Israel appears to be an honorable name for the people. Consider the following, where the name appears twice in Moses’ blessing of the children of Israel:

And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together. (Deuteronomy 33:5)

There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. (Deuteronomy 33:26)

The name Jeshurun is used right before the first tribe is mentioned and after the last tribe is mentioned. The LORD is the one who blesses His people. He is their God and their King.

Consider also the usage in Isaiah:

Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. (Isaiah 44:2)

This is a very personal name; God formed, nurtured, and chose Jacob as His servant, the progenitor of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true servant in the book of Isaiah.

However, when Israel became self-satisfied and left off the worship of the Lord, they ceased to be Jeshurun:

But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. (Deuteronomy 32:15)