2366. Chuwshiym

Lexical Summary

Chuwshiym: Hushim

Original Word: חוּשַׁים
Part of Speech: proper name, feminine; proper name, masculine
Transliteration: Chuwshiym
Pronunciation: KHOOSH-eem
Phonetic Spelling: (khoo-sheem')
KJV: Hushim
Word Origin: [plural from H2363 (חוּשׁ - To hasten)]

1. hasters
2. Chushim, the name of three Israelites

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Hushim

Or Chushiym {khoo-shem'}; or Chushim {khoo- sheem'}; plural from chuwsh; hasters; Chushim, the name of three Israelites -- Hushim.

see HEBREW chuwsh

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. חוּשִׁים, חֻשִׁים proper name, feminine wife of Shaharaim of Benjamin, חוּשִׁים 1 Chronicles 8:8, חֻשִׁים 1 Chronicles 8:11.

II. חֻשִׁים proper name, masculine of Dan, ׳וּבְנֵי דּן ח Genesis 46:23 compareחֻשִֿׁם בְּנֵי אַחֵר 1 Chronicles 7:12 (see Be VB); = שׁוּחָם (q. v.) Numbers 26:42 compare שׁוּחָתִי Numbers 26:42; Numbers 26:43.

Topical Lexicon

Occurrences and Narrative Settings

Genesis 46:23 records, “The sons of Dan: Hushim”, introducing Hushim as the sole listed descendant of Dan who went down to Egypt with Jacob. 1 Chronicles 7:12 mentions “the Hushim, the sons of Aher,” identifying a Benjamin-linked clan. In 1 Chronicles 8:8–11 Hushim is twice named as one of Shaharaim’s wives in Moab, with verse 11 noting, “By his wife Hushim he had Abitub and Elpaal”. Thus, the name surfaces in three distinct settings: as an eponymous ancestor in Dan, as a Benjaminite clan, and as a Moab-resident wife whose sons remained within Benjaminite lineage.

Genealogical Significance

1. Tribe of Dan: With Dan otherwise lacking a lengthy sons-list, the single name Hushim functions as a clan heading. Later censuses list Danite families such as the Shuhamites (Numbers 26:42), suggesting that “Hushim” became a collective designation for the tribe’s posterity.
2. Tribe of Benjamin: 1 Chronicles 7:12 and 8:8–11 portray Hushim connected to Benjamin, whether as descendants of Aher (probably another name for Ahiram, Numbers 26:38) or as Shaharaim’s wife. The appearance in distinct genealogical lines hints at either the reuse of a respected name or inter-tribal marriage that migrated the name into Benjamin.
3. Presence in Moab: Shaharaim’s Moabite sojourn (1 Chronicles 8:8) and his sons by Hushim (verse 11) illustrate Israel’s periodic residence outside the land, yet still tracing covenant lineage. Hushim’s sons Abitub and Elpaal later father prominent Benjamite houses (8:17, 8:18), underscoring how families formed abroad were nevertheless integrated into Israel’s story.

Historical and Cultural Insights

• Clan Identity: In ancient Near Eastern usage, a single ancestor’s name regularly became the title for an entire family group or sub-tribe. “Hushim” thus may denote both an individual and the collective descendants attached to him or her.
• Name Repetition: The recurrence of Hushim across tribal lines demonstrates the fluidity of names in Israel’s genealogies and cautions readers to weigh context before assuming identical individuals.
• Moabite Connection: Shaharaim’s marriage to Hushim in Moab illustrates the interplay between Israel and neighboring peoples, while the Chronicler’s inclusion of these details affirms God’s providence over dispersed covenant families.

Theological and Ministry Reflections

1. Covenant Continuity. Even when only a single descendant is recorded (Genesis 46:23), God preserves a tribe. Dan’s solitary Hushim testifies that spiritual fruitfulness rests on divine promise rather than numerical strength.
2. Faithfulness in Exile. Shaharaim’s Moab episode shows that covenant identity survives geographical displacement. Modern believers can glean confidence that faithful lineage—spiritual or physical—can flourish far from familiar surroundings.
3. Value of the Uncelebrated. Hushim receives no exploits or speeches, yet his (or her) name is permanently inscribed in Scripture. Ministry sometimes advances through unheralded figures whose chief contribution is simply belonging to God’s people.

Practical Application

• Encourage Small or Isolated Congregations: The single-name record of Dan’s Hushim assures modest assemblies that God can multiply influence from minimal beginnings.
• Strengthen Family Discipleship: The chronicling of Hushim’s children in Moab highlights the importance of nurturing covenant identity within the home, even amid cultural plurality.
• Embrace Diverse Backgrounds: The presence of Hushim in both Dan and Benjamin invites the church to welcome people whose accounts cross traditional boundaries yet stand united in Christ.

Summary

Hushim, whether representing a person, a clan, or a wife, threads through the Genesis migration and the Chronicler’s genealogies to illustrate God’s meticulous preservation of His people. Though a minor name by human reckoning, Hushim reminds readers that every individual and family rooted in the covenant contributes to the unfolding redemptive narrative culminating in the Messiah.

Forms and Transliterations

וּמֵחֻשִׁ֛ים ומחשים חֻשִֽׁים׃ חֻשִׁ֖ם חוּשִׁ֥ים חושים חשים׃ חשם chuShim ḥu·šim ḥu·šîm ḥū·šîm ḥušim ḥušîm ḥūšîm ū·mê·ḥu·šîm umechuShim ūmêḥušîm

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 46:23
HEB: וּבְנֵי־ דָ֖ן חֻשִֽׁים׃
NAS: The sons of Dan: Hushim.
KJV: And the sons of Dan; Hushim.
INT: the sons of Dan Hushim

1 Chronicles 7:12
HEB: בְּנֵ֣י עִ֔יר חֻשִׁ֖ם בְּנֵ֥י אַחֵֽר׃
NAS: of Ir; Hushim [was] the son
KJV: of Ir, [and] Hushim, the sons
INT: the sons of Ir Hushim the son of Aher

1 Chronicles 8:8
HEB: שִׁלְח֖וֹ אֹתָ֑ם חוּשִׁ֥ים וְאֶֽת־ בַּעֲרָ֖א
NAS: he had sent away Hushim and Baara
KJV: he had sent them away; Hushim and Baara
INT: after had sent Hushim and Baara his wives

1 Chronicles 8:11
HEB: וּמֵחֻשִׁ֛ים הוֹלִ֥יד אֶת־
NAS: By Hushim he became the father
KJV: And of Hushim he begat Abitub,
INT: Hushim became of Abitub

4 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2366
4 Occurrences

ḥu·šîm — 3 Occ.
ū·mê·ḥu·šîm — 1 Occ.