איש-בושת's father is שאול and his mother is אחינועם. His paternal grandfather is קיש; his maternal grandfather is אחימעץ. He is the oldest of six children. He has three brothers and two sisters, named יונתן, ישוי, מלכישוע, מיכל and מרב. He has three half-brothers named ארמוני, מפיבשת and Abinadab ben.