Why Jill and Derick Dillard chose the name Israel David for their son

Why did Jill and Derick Dillard choose the name Israel? Instagram

The land of Israel holds so much significance to 19 Kids and Counting's Jill and Derick Dillard, and that is why they decided to name their first born son Israel David.

In the Duggar Family Blog, it was revealed that even before Jill and Derick knew about their gender of their child, they already had two names picked out - Israel if the baby was a boy, and Selah if it was a girl.

Israel means "God will prevail" while Selah means "pause and reflect," and both are ideal names for a loving Christian family. The blog further shared that back in September 2011, Jill and her family travelled to Israel as part of their World Tour, and the Duggars considered it the "trip of a lifetime" because it made God's word come to life.

Two years after that trip, and just months after Jill and Derick began their courtship stage, Derick planned on proposing. Knowing just how much Israel meant to Jill, Derick passed by the place as he was headed home from Nepal and bought her engagement ring there.

Derick asked permission to marry Jill from her father Jim Bob on February 2014, and he went down on one knee and proposed to her on March 29, to which Jill answered: "Yes, totally!"

They got married on June 21 that same year and just a month into marriage, they already found out that they were expecting a baby.

Baby Dilly was born on April 6, 2015, a few weeks later than his original due date. The Dillards' first born son is quite the record-breaker, weighing nine lbs. 10 oz. (4.37 kilograms) and measuring 23 inches (58 cm) in length, making him the longest baby born at the hospital this year.

In  fact, Jill and Derick even had to ask their families to go out and buy more infant clothes for Israel David because none of the onesies and diapers that had been bought for him fit!

related articles
Jill Duggar admits not everything went as expected during birth of son Israel David
Jill Duggar admits not everything went as expected during birth of son Israel David

Jill Duggar admits not everything went as expected during birth of son Israel David

Jill Duggar says husband Derick Dillard is \'amazing\' with Baby Dilly
Jill Duggar says husband Derick Dillard is 'amazing' with Baby Dilly

Jill Duggar says husband Derick Dillard is 'amazing' with Baby Dilly

Jill Duggar thanks family for wonderful support after birth of Israel David
Jill Duggar thanks family for wonderful support after birth of Israel David

Jill Duggar thanks family for wonderful support after birth of Israel David

News
English Heritage deletes debunked claims about pagan origins of Christmas Day
English Heritage deletes debunked claims about pagan origins of Christmas Day

English Heritage has admitted it got it wrong when it shared false claims that the date of Christmas is derived from a pagan Roman festival in honour of a sun god.

Guinness Book of Records recognises 'the world’s longest serving Sunday School teacher'
Guinness Book of Records recognises 'the world’s longest serving Sunday School teacher'

Pam Knowles started helping out her church Sunday school in 1951 at the age of 13.

The origins of ‘traditional’ Christmas celebrations 
The origins of ‘traditional’ Christmas celebrations 

Today in the UK we celebrate Christmas and the period around it with many familiar traditions and activities. There is an understandable assumption that we have always done things this way. However, celebrating Christmas has a long and complex history and things change over time. 

Venezuela stops cardinal from leaving country
Venezuela stops cardinal from leaving country

The cardinal has spoken out against the excesses of the Maduro government.