Iessai is the Biblical Greek form of the Hebrew name Yishai, more commonly known as Jesse in English. The name appears in the Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament as Ἰεσσαί (Iessai), representing the Hebrew יִשַׁי (Yishai). In the Bible, Jesse is the father of King David, and the Hebrew name Yishai is possibly derived from the word שַׁי (shai) meaning "gift," or from יֵשׁ (yesh) meaning "existence."EtymologyThe name Iessai is a direct transliteration of the Greek Ἰεσσαί, which in turn represents the Hebrew name Yishai. The Greek form Iessai is used consistently in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible made around the 3rd century BCE. In the New Testament, the name appears as Ἰεσσαί in the Greek text, referring to the father of David.Biblical ContextAccording to the Old Testament, Jesse was a farmer and a shepherd in Bethlehem. He was the grandson of Ruth and Boaz, and the father of eight sons, the youngest being David (1 Samuel 16). The prophet Samuel anointed David as king of Israel in Jesse's presence. Over time, Jesse became a symbolic figure in Jewish and Christian tradition, often representing the lineage from which the Messiah would come; hence the phrase "stem of Jesse" (Isaiah 11:1).Usage and VariantsIessai is primarily used in Greek-speaking contexts, particularly in Eastern Orthodox traditions and biblical scholarship. Its Latin equivalent is Iesse. In other languages, the name appears as Jess, Jessie, and Jessy in English and French adapted forms. Notably, Jesse is also the Finnish form of the name, though the Finnish language typically uses Jesse rather than Iessai.Meaning: Gift; existenceOrigin: Biblical Greek form of Hebrew YishaiType: First nameUsage Regions: Greek-speaking Christian communities, biblical contextsRelated Forms: Jesse, Yishai, Iesse, Jess, Jessie 2, Jessy