2693. Chatsar Gaddah

Lexical Summary

Chatsar Gaddah: Hazar-gaddah

Original Word: חֲצַר גַּדָּה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Chatsar Gaddah
Pronunciation: khaw-tsar' gad-daw'
Phonetic Spelling: (khats-ar'gad-daw')
KJV: Hazar-gaddah
NASB: Hazar-gaddah
Word Origin: [from H2691 (חָצֵר - Court) and a feminine of H1408 (גַּד - Gad)]

1. (the) village of (female) Fortune
2. Chatsar-Gaddah, a place in Israel

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Hazar-gaddah

From chatser and a feminine of Gad; (the) village of (female) Fortune; Chatsar-Gaddah, a place in Palestine -- Hazar-gaddah.

see HEBREW chatser

see HEBREW Gad

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from chatser and gad
Definition
a place in S. Judah
NASB Translation
Hazar-gaddah (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

גַּדָּה in ׳חֲצַר ג see below חצר.

חֲצַר גַּדָּה proper name, of a location in southern Judah Joshua 15:27 ᵐ5 Σερει, A ᵐ5^L Ασεργαδδα.

Topical Lexicon

Entry Overview

Hazar Gaddah is one of the southern Judean towns listed in the allotment of the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:27). Though mentioned only once, it forms part of the inspired geographic framework that records the faithful distribution of the land promised to Abraham and his descendants.

Scriptural Occurrence

Joshua 15:27 locates Hazar Gaddah among a cluster of settlements in the Negev: “Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet,” (Berean Standard Bible). Its placement between other identified sites helps to establish both its vicinity and its covenantal significance within the inheritance of Judah.

Geographical Setting

1. Regional Position – The verse positions Hazar Gaddah in the extreme south (“Negev”) of Judah’s territory, southwest of the Dead Sea and north of the Wilderness of Zin.
2. Environment – The Negev is semi-arid, marked by seasonal wadis, terraced hills, and sparse but arable valleys. Settlements here relied on cisterns, flash-flood agriculture, and caravan trade routes that linked Egypt, Edom, and the Judean hill country.
3. Possible Identification – Scholars have suggested several ruins (khirbets) south of Beer Sheba such as Khirbet el-Gaddar or Tell el-ʿAjjul, but no consensus has been reached. Lack of definitive remains does not diminish the historical reliability of the biblical record; instead, it highlights the transient, often modest nature of frontier villages in the Late Bronze and early Iron Age periods.

Historical Context

1. Conquest and Allotment – Joshua’s distribution of land (Joshua 13–19) fulfills earlier promises (Genesis 15:18-21) and demonstrates the orderly organization of tribal patrimony. Hazar Gaddah stands as a boundary marker in the south, anchoring Judah’s claim and providing security against encroachment from Edom or the Amalekites (1 Samuel 15:2).
2. Economic Role – As a “village enclosure” (by its descriptive pattern in the list), Hazar Gaddah likely functioned as a pastoral station where shepherds corralled flocks and travelers found shelter. Its proximity to major routes would enable barter in wool, salt, and dried produce, sustaining both local inhabitants and itinerant merchants.
3. Defensive Significance – Small fortified courtyards (hazars) created a chain of lookout posts across the desert fringe. These sites warned of raiding nomads and ensured safe passage for caravans, illustrating Judah’s responsibility to secure its God-given land.

Inter-Textual Connections

1. Parallel “Hazar” Names – Joshua 15:3, 15:25, and 15:28 list other “Hazar-” towns (Hazar Addar, Hazar Shual). Together they outline a defensive arc, showing a deliberate strategy under Joshua and later Judahite kings to consolidate the southern border.
2. Prophetic Echo – Isaiah 21:13-17 envisions caravans in the wilderness finding refuge among the people of God. Hazar Gaddah typifies such hospitality, foreshadowing the call for God’s people to be a light to the nations even in remote places.

Theological and Ministry Reflections

1. God Values the Hidden – Though obscure, Hazar Gaddah is named in Scripture, reminding believers that no work or place is insignificant when dedicated to the Lord (1 Corinthians 12:22).
2. Covenant Precision – Detailed town lists verify the precision of God’s promises. Modern readers can trust that the same God who recorded minor settlements faithfully oversees every aspect of redemptive history (Matthew 5:18).
3. Stewardship of Territory – Hazar Gaddah’s inhabitants were stewards of a strategic yet challenging environment. Contemporary ministry in small or difficult contexts mirrors this calling: to cultivate faithfulness where resources seem scarce (Luke 16:10).
4. Hospitality and Refuge – The notion of an “enclosure” suggests shelter. In ministry, churches and believers serve as spiritual enclosures, offering protection and refreshment to those journeying through arid seasons of life (Hebrews 13:2).

Archaeological Observations

Surface surveys in the Negev reveal numerous Iron Age I-II farmsteads and enclosure walls that match the biblical description of hazar sites. Pottery sherds, circular silos, and animal pens confirm mixed agro-pastoral economies precisely where Joshua 15 situates Judah’s southern villages. Excavation at Tel Masos and nearby sites demonstrates a highlands-to-desert settlement pattern consistent with Scripture.

Lessons for Today

• Perseverance in Obscurity – Like settlers of Hazar Gaddah, believers can labor confidently even when their service appears unnoticed.
• Boundary Faithfulness – Spiritual boundaries (doctrine, holiness, mission) must be guarded with the same diligence the Judeans applied to their territorial frontiers (2 Timothy 1:14).
• Divine Record-Keeping – The Lord’s meticulous attention to Hazar Gaddah assures the church that “your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Forms and Transliterations

גַּדָּ֛ה גדה gad·dāh gadDah gaddāh

Englishman's Concordance

Joshua 15:27
HEB: וַחֲצַ֥ר גַּדָּ֛ה וְחֶשְׁמ֖וֹן וּבֵ֥ית
NAS: and Hazar-gaddah and Heshmon
KJV: And Hazargaddah, and Heshmon,
INT: and Hazar-gaddah and Heshmon and Beth-pelet

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 2693
1 Occurrence

gad·dāh — 1 Occ.