Lexical Summary Chatsor Chadattah: Hazor Hadattah Original Word: חָצוֹר חֲדַתָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hazor, Hadattah as if two places From Chatsowr and a Aramaizing form of the feminine of chadash (compare chadath); new Chatsor, a place in Palestine -- Hazor, Hadattah (as if two places). see HEBREW Chatsowr see HEBREW chadath NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom Chatsor and chadash Definition a place in the desert of Judah NASB Translation Hazor-hadattah (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חָצוֺר חֲדַתָּה proper name, of a location (si vera lectio perhaps new Haƒôr, with Aramaic ת in adjective) — Joshua 15:25, see חָצוֺר; in Negeb of Judah, site unknown. Topical Lexicon Hazor-hadattahBiblical Occurrence Hazor-hadattah is named once in Scripture, in the catalogue of southern towns allotted to the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:25). The Berean Standard Bible lists it among the settlements that lay “toward the border of Edom in the Negev.” Geographical Setting The context places Hazor-hadattah in the arid Negev, south of Beersheba and on the approaches to Edom. The surrounding towns—Baalah, Iim, Ezem, and others—form a defensive and administrative network guarding Judah’s southern frontier and trade routes leading to the Gulf of Aqaba and the spice roads of Arabia. While the precise site is debated, most scholars situate it near modern Khirbet el-Hazzarah or Tell el-Khureibeh, both of which command natural springs and caravan tracks. Historical Context The list in Joshua 15 records the fulfillment of divine promise: “I will give to your descendants all this land” (Genesis 12:7). By Joshua’s day Israel had moved from nomadic life to settled inheritance. Hazor-hadattah therefore represents more than geography; it stands as evidence that the conquest narratives are anchored in real places, observable even today. Its epithet “new” (hadattah) distinguishes it from an older Hazor—possibly the northern Canaanite royal city later destroyed by Joshua (Joshua 11:10–13)—showing that naming conventions preserved collective memory of God’s past victories. Archaeological Considerations Surveys of Negev tells reveal Iron Age fortifications, four-room houses, and rock-hewn cisterns consistent with early Judahite occupation. Pottery resembling tenth- and ninth-century forms confirms continued habitation into the monarchic period, suggesting Hazor-hadattah served as a border garrison under Kings Saul, David, and Solomon, safeguarding sheep-grazing territories and copper traffic from Timna. Theological and Ministry Reflections 1. Covenant Faithfulness: Each town named in Joshua 15 is a testament that “not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed” (Joshua 21:45). Hazor-hadattah therefore underscores the reliability of Scripture’s historical claims. Intertextual Connections • Joshua 19:36 records “Hazor” again, demonstrating the need to read place-names carefully within their contexts. Lessons for Today Hazor-hadattah may appear only once, yet its inclusion calls readers to value every word of Scripture. The Spirit who inspired Joshua’s border lists also preserves the church, reminding believers that seemingly minor details testify to God’s comprehensive care—from ancient desert enclosures to present-day congregations situated at their own cultural frontiers. Forms and Transliterations חֲדַתָּה֙ חדתה chadatTah ḥă·ḏat·tāh ḥăḏattāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 15:25 HEB: וְחָצ֤וֹר ׀ חֲדַתָּה֙ וּקְרִיּ֔וֹת חֶצְר֖וֹן NAS: and Hazor-hadattah and Kerioth-hezron KJV: And Hazor, Hadattah, and Kerioth, INT: and Hazor-hadattah and Kerioth Hezron 1 Occurrence |
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