🔼The name Ithream: Summary
- Meaning
- Residue Of The People
- Etymology
- From (1) the verb יתר (yatar), to be a rest, and (2) the noun עם ('am), people.
🔼The name Ithream in the Bible
The one and only Ithream in the Bible is one of the lesser known sons of king David. His mother's name was Eglah and Ithream was the sixth and last son to be born to David in Hebron (2 Samuel 3:5, 1 Chronicles 3:3). When David moved his capital to Jerusalem, more than thirteen sons (among whom Solomon) and at least one daughter (Tamar) followed by various wives and an untold number of concubines (1 Chronicles 3:9).
🔼Etymology of the name Ithream
The name Ithream consists of two elements. The first part of our name comes from the verb יתר (yatar), meaning to remain or be a rest:
יתר
The verb יתר (yatar) means to remain or to be a rest (a remainder). It may emphasize the survival of some carnage (being the last ones left), but it may also emphasize surplus (rest money after all bills are paid). Noun יתר (yeter) means remnant; יתרה (yitra) means abundance; יותר (yoter) means superiority; יתרון (yitron) means excellence.
The nouns יתר (yeter) and מיתר (metar) describe cords to tie things together with. This indicates that a remnant is not simply that what remains, but rather that which kept the original collective together in the first place.
The second part of the name Ithream comes from the common word עם ('am), meaning people:
עמם
The verb עמם ('mm) probably expressed to be inclusive or comprehensive. Its rare uses in the Bible relate to making secrets or making info available to an in-crowd. Preposition עם ('im) means 'with', מעם (me'im) means 'from', and עמה ('umma) means 'beside'. Noun עם ('am) means a people, ranging from all of mankind to the in-crowd of a small village. Noun עם ('am) refers to one's (paternal) kinsman.
🔼Ithream meaning
For a meaning of the name Ithream, NOBSE Study Bible Name List reads Residue Of The People. Alfred Jones (Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names) derives our name also from the verb יתר (yatar) but somehow finds it to mean to exalt. Hence Jones reads Exalted Of The People, but adds Rest Of The People, which reflects the common usage of our verb much clearer. BDB Theological Dictionary does not interpret the name Ithream.