The Hebrew ish used as a verb (אִישׁ) means 'to act like a man,' 'to show oneself a man,' 'to be courageous.' It is the denominative verb from the noun ish (man). This verb form is rare, appearing only a couple of times, but carries the charge of Scripture's repeated call to courageous, godly manhood.
The command to ish — to 'be a man,' to act with the courage and character befitting a man of God — runs throughout Scripture. The dying David charges Solomon: 'Be strong, show yourself a man' (1 Kings 2:2). Paul commands: 'Act like men, be strong' (1 Cor 16:13 ESV). Biblical manhood is not biological but behavioral — it is courage, faithfulness, and sacrificial love demonstrated. The call to be ish is not the world's version of masculine dominance but the covenant community's pattern: a man who fears God, protects the vulnerable, keeps his word, and leads with integrity. Christ is the perfect Ish — the true man who shows what human beings at their best look like.