TISHBITE, THE

the well-known designation of Elijah. (1 Kings 17:1; 21:17,28; 2 Kings 1:3,8; 9:36) The name naturally points to a place called Tishbeh, Tishbi, or rather perhaps Tesheb, as the residence of the prophet. Assuming that a town is alluded to as Elijah's native place, it is not necessary to infer that it was itself in Gilead, as many have imagined. The commentators and lexicographers, with few exceptions, adopt the name "Tishbite" as referring to the place Thisbe in Naphtali which is found in the Septuagint text of Tobit 1:2.