Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard welcomed son Israel David Dillard into their lives on Monday night. Israel is the fourth grandchild of 19 Kids and Counting patriarch and matriarch Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar.
Since the Duggar family is so devoutly religious, most people believe that’s the reason behind Jill Duggar and her hubby choosing that name for their son. That is true–partly, anyway. There is also a hidden meaning that not everyone knows.
Derick Dillard and Jill Duggar first met one another online. Derick was doing mission work in several places around the world as they began their online courtship. It seemed Derick knew right away, however, that Jill Duggar was the woman for him. While he was in Israel, he bought her an engagement ring–without having met her in person yet.
Is This the Real Reason Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard Named Their Son Israel? http://t.co/yCGwYjYTZa
— E! News (@ENews) April 9, 2015
“It’s just a white gold band with a solitaire diamond: a round stone, .63 carats,” Derick told ABC News prior to proposing to Jill Duggar. “Jill really likes Israel and I’d always wanted to go to the holy land. [When I was there] I had it in my head that I wanted to get an engagement ring pretty soon but I had no idea it would work out [this] perfectly!”
Shortly thereafter, Derick returned to Arkansas, where the 19 Kids and Counting family resides. He met Jill in person–and her family–and the rest, as they say, is history. The two wed in June of 2014, and Jill Duggar soon became pregnant with baby Israel who, up until his birth late Monday night, was referred to as ‘Baby Dilly.
Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard do admit that the religious meaning behind their son’s name also played a role in their choice. In Hebrew, ‘Israel’ means “may God prevail.”
"19 Kids and Counting” star Jill Duggar and husband Derick Dillard welcome first child http://t.co/O9fXlkl7Dj pic.twitter.com/WpRs6Vvbv6
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) April 7, 2015
Some day little Israel David Dillard will no doubt be told the story about the meaning behind his name. Fans can see the highlights of Israel’s birth, including Jill Duggar in labor and winding up in the hospital for what had been planned as a home birth, on a special episode of 19 Kids and Counting on May 5th. The TLC cameras were present for at least a portion of the big event.
