2702. Chatsar Susim

Lexical Summary

Chatsar Susim: "Village of Horses" or "Enclosure of Horses"

Original Word: חֲצַר סוּסִים
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Chatsar Cuwciym
Pronunciation: khä-tsär' soo-seem'
Phonetic Spelling: (khats-ar' soo-seem')
KJV: Hazar-susim
NASB: Hazar-susim
Word Origin: [from H2691 (חָצֵר - Court) and the plural of H5483 (סוּס סוּס - Horse)]

1. village of horses
2. Chatsar-Susim, a place in Israel

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Hazar- susim

From chatser and the plural of cuwc; village of horses; Chatsar-Susim, a place in Palestine -- Hazar- susim.

see HEBREW chatser

see HEBREW cuwc

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from chatser and sus
Definition
"village of horses," a place in Simeon
NASB Translation
Hazar-susim (1).

Topical Lexicon

Name and Meaning

Hazar Susim is the literal rendering of a Hebrew place-name that conveys the idea of an “enclosure” or “settlement” associated with horses. The designation implies a locale in which horses were bred, stabled, or otherwise featured prominently in the life of the community.

Biblical Occurrence

1 Chronicles 4:31 lists Hazar Susim among the towns belonging to the tribe of Simeon: “Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim; these were their cities until the reign of David”. The Chronicler records the settlement while recounting the expansion of Simeon within territory that lay inside Judah’s allotment (compare Joshua 19:1-9).

Location and Historical Setting

1. Geographic Frame. Hazar Susim appears in close association with Beth-marcaboth (“house of chariots”) and other Simeonite towns of the southern Negev, an arid region south-west of Beersheba. Although its exact site has not been identified with certainty, the cluster of names suggests a corridor suited for livestock and military animals.
2. Tribal Context. Simeon received scattered towns “inside the inheritance of the people of Judah” (Joshua 19:1), a fulfillment of Jacob’s prophecy that Simeon would be “scattered” in Israel (Genesis 49:5-7). Hazar Susim exemplifies how that prophecy was realized geographically, while also demonstrating Judah’s willingness to share territory with a brother tribe.
3. Historical Note. 1 Chronicles specifies that these cities remained Simeonite “until the reign of David.” During David’s consolidation of the monarchy the political map shifted, yet the chronicled notice underscores the continuity of Simeon’s presence from the conquest era through the united kingdom.

Thematic Insights

• Provision and Prosperity. The reference to horses and chariots in neighboring towns hints at agricultural and military resources accessible to Simeon. The Lord’s allocation of such resources fulfilled the covenant promise of land and sustenance.
• Trust and Obedience. While horses symbolized strength, Israel was repeatedly warned not to rely on military assets apart from the LORD (Deuteronomy 17:16; Psalm 20:7). The mere existence of a “settlement of horses” within God-given territory underscores the tension between legitimate use of resources and the temptation to misplaced confidence.
• Fulfillment of Prophecy. The presence of Simeonite enclaves inside Judah harmonizes the apparently disparate prophecies of Genesis 49 and the land allotments of Joshua 19, reinforcing the unity and accuracy of Scripture’s historical record.

Ministry Reflections

1. Stewardship of Resources. Hazar Susim encourages believers to view every resource—whether agricultural, economic, or technological—as a stewardship from God, to be employed faithfully rather than idolized.
2. Unity Among God’s People. The shared borders of Judah and Simeon illustrate cooperative coexistence among the tribes, an Old Testament picture of the mutual interdependence that marks the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
3. Confidence in the Word. A seemingly minor place-name, confirmed by parallel passages and consistent historical detail, strengthens confidence in the reliability of God’s Word, reminding readers that “not one word has failed of all His good promise” (Joshua 21:45).

Forms and Transliterations

סוּסִ֔ים סוסים sū·sîm suSim sūsîm

Englishman's Concordance

1 Chronicles 4:31
HEB: מַרְכָּבוֹת֙ וּבַחֲצַ֣ר סוּסִ֔ים וּבְבֵ֥ית בִּרְאִ֖י
NAS: Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri
KJV: And at Bethmarcaboth, and Hazarsusim, and at Bethbirei,
INT: Beth-marcaboth Hazar-susim Beth-biri and Shaaraim

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 2702
1 Occurrence

sū·sîm — 1 Occ.