Lexical Summary chatserim: Villages, settlements, enclosures Original Word: חֲצֵרִים Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hazerim Plural masculine of chatser; yards; Chatserim, a place in Palestine -- Hazerim. see HEBREW chatser NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originmasc. pl. of chatser, q.v. Topical Lexicon Name and Meaning The term חֲצֵרִים (Hazerim) designates a collection of small, enclosed settlements—“villages” or “hamlets”—rather than a single fortified city. The word evokes imagery of simple agrarian communities marked by courtyards, pens, and temporary dwellings spread across the southern coastal plain of ancient Canaan. Biblical Occurrence Deuteronomy 2:23 records the only instance of חֲצֵרִים: “The Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, were destroyed by the Caphtorites, who came from Caphtor and settled in their place.” (Berean Standard Bible) Historical and Geographical Background 1. Location: The “villages as far as Gaza” identify a region along the southwestern edge of Canaan, bordering the Mediterranean Sea. This corridor later became part of the Philistine Pentapolis. Theological Themes and Lessons 1. Divine Sovereignty over Lands and Nations Moses cites the displacement of the Avvim to show Israel that the Lord had already been orchestrating territorial transfers long before Israel arrived (compare Deuteronomy 2:9, 2:19). The rise and fall of peoples in Hazerim testifies to God’s rule over history (Job 12:23). Although no explicit sin of the Avvim is mentioned, their removal underscores a pattern: when nations abandon righteousness, God may replace them (Leviticus 18:24-28). By recalling how the Caphtorites took the villages without Israel’s aid, Moses strengthens Israel’s faith that the Lord will likewise secure Canaan for them (Deuteronomy 7:1-2). The modest “villages” remind readers that human dwellings are temporary (Psalm 39:4-5), pressing believers toward heavenly citizenship (Philippians 3:20). Connections with the Broader Biblical Narrative • Genesis 10 situates both Avvim and Caphtorim within the Table of Nations, tracing God’s orderly dispersion after the flood. Ministry Application • Missional Insight: Just as Caphtorites moved into open villages, believers are called to enter unreached “hamlets” of the world, planting gospel outposts where spiritual vacancy exists (Matthew 28:19-20). Related Scriptures for Further Study Genesis 10:13-14; Deuteronomy 2:9, 19, 23; Joshua 13:2-3; Judges 3:3; Amos 9:7; Jeremiah 47:4 Forms and Transliterations בַּחֲצֵרִ֖ים בחצרים ba·ḥă·ṣê·rîm bachatzeRim baḥăṣêrîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 2:23 HEB: וְהָֽעַוִּ֛ים הַיֹּשְׁבִ֥ים בַּחֲצֵרִ֖ים עַד־ עַזָּ֑ה KJV: which dwelt in Hazerim, [even] unto Azzah, INT: Avims lived Hazerim far Gaza 1 Occurrence |
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