Lexical Summary Chatsar Shual: Hazar-shual Original Word: חֲצַר שׁוּעָל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hazar-shual From chatser and shuw'al; village of (the) fox; Chatsar-Shual, a place in Palestine -- Hazar-shual. see HEBREW chatser see HEBREW shuw'al NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chatser and shual Definition "village of the fox," a place in S. Judah NASB Translation Hazar-shual (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֲצַר שׁוּעָל proper name, of a location 1 place in southern Judah Joshua 15:28 = 1 Chronicles 4:28; Nehemiah 11:27 2 place in Simeon Joshua 19:3. — ᵐ5 Αρσωλα, Χολασεωλα, Ασαρσουλα, Ασαρσουαρ, etc. Topical Lexicon Geographical SettingHazar Shual lay in the arid heartland of the southern Negev, south-southwest of Hebron and a few miles northeast of Beersheba. A string of small settlements—Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, Hormah, Ziklag, and others—formed Judah’s and Simeon’s outer frontier against the wilderness stretching toward Egypt. Permanent water sources were scarce; life depended on seasonal wadis, cisterns, and deep wells. The topography of low limestone ridges and open grazing land suited nomadic flocks more than intensive agriculture, explaining why the site appears repeatedly in lists of pasturage towns. Biblical References and Narrative Setting 1. Joshua 15:28 places Hazar Shual among the southern-most towns inherited by Judah. The list sketches Judah’s vast territory, reminding readers that God granted the tribe not only fertile highlands but also the harsher borderlands—territory they were nevertheless accountable to steward. 2. Joshua 19:3 records that within Judah’s allotment a cluster of towns, including Hazar Shual, was reassigned to Simeon “because the portion of the sons of Judah was too large for them”. This intra-tribal arrangement illustrates covenant cooperation: Judah relinquishes excess land; Simeon receives a home; the unity of Israel is strengthened. 3. 1 Chronicles 4:28 repeats the list when chronicling southern Simeonite settlements, anchoring tribal genealogies to recognized places. By inserting geography into genealogies, the Chronicler ties family identity to God’s historic gift of land. 4. Nehemiah 11:27 records Judean repatriation after the exile: “in Hazar Shual, in Beersheba and its villages”. A once-desolate border outpost is re-inhabited as the remnant rebuilds covenant life. The verse quietly testifies that divine promises transcend exile; the same towns listed under Joshua welcome post-exilic farmers and shepherds. Historical Development • Patriarchal echoes: The region around Beersheba had long associations with Abraham (Genesis 21:33-34) and Isaac (Genesis 26:23-25). Hazar Shual’s proximity connects it to the wells and treaties of the patriarchs, reinforcing the continuity of promise. • Wilderness frontier: As a Negev settlement, Hazar Shual functioned as a buffer against Amalekite incursions (cf. 1 Samuel 30:1) and as staging ground for journeys toward Egypt or Sinai. The name may evoke the jackal, an emblem of desolation, reminding Israel that God planted them even in “the wilderness and dry land” (Isaiah 35:1). • Post-exilic endurance: Despite Babylonian devastation, the town appears again in Nehemiah’s list, indicating either resettlement of the original site or identification of a nearby location under the same name. Faithful families chose difficult ground over easier foreign cities, demonstrating commitment to covenant land. Theological Themes • Covenant Faithfulness: Hazar Shual’s appearance in Joshua and Nehemiah frames the span of Israel’s national life—from conquest to restoration. The town stands as a geographical marker of Yahweh’s unwavering commitment to “give you the land I swore to your fathers” (Deuteronomy 1:8). • Shared Inheritance: Judah’s cession of the town to Simeon exemplifies the “law of brotherly kindness” (Leviticus 25:35). The land was God’s; tribes were stewards, not owners. Kingdom work today likewise calls believers to hold resources with open hands. • Hope in the Wilderness: A settlement named for a jackal-filled courtyard becomes a home for God’s people. Scripture often portrays God transforming desolation into habitation (Psalm 107:33-35). Hazar Shual reminds modern readers that no territory or circumstance is too barren for divine renewal. Archaeological and Geographic Notes No unequivocal excavation has isolated Hazar Shual, though several proposals cluster it near Tell el-Dhahab or Khirbet el-Shaal, roughly 12–15 km northeast of Beersheba. Surface pottery indicates occupation in Iron Age II and again in Persian–Hellenistic periods, aligning with biblical data. The absence of monumental architecture fits the pattern of pastoral settlements rather than fortified towns. Ministry Applications • Perseverance in Hard Places: Leaders shepherding small or remote congregations may draw encouragement from Hazar Shual’s testimony—God keeps precise track of seemingly insignificant outposts (Luke 12:6-7). • Stewardship and Generosity: Judah and Simeon’s land-sharing challenges churches to practice sacrificial generosity within the body of Christ (Acts 4:32-35). • Restoration Vision: Post-exilic resettlement calls modern believers to invest prayer and labor in spiritually “dry lands,” trusting that the Lord still “builds up the waste places” (Isaiah 61:4). Summary Though mentioned only four times, Hazar Shual threads through Scripture as a symbol of covenant land, brotherly cooperation, and divine reclamation of desolate spaces. Its quiet presence affirms that every place—no matter how remote—has a role in the redemptive account God is writing through His people. Forms and Transliterations שׁוּעָ֛ל שׁוּעָֽל׃ שועל שועל׃ shuAl šū‘āl šū·‘ālLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 15:28 HEB: וַחֲצַ֥ר שׁוּעָ֛ל וּבְאֵ֥ר שֶׁ֖בַע NAS: and Hazar-shual and Beersheba KJV: And Hazarshual, and Beersheba, INT: and Hazar-shual and Beersheba and Biziothiah Joshua 19:3 1 Chronicles 4:28 Nehemiah 11:27 4 Occurrences |
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