2831. chashman

Lexical Summary

chashman: Noble, nobleman

Original Word: חַשְׁמַן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: chashman
Pronunciation: khash-man'
Phonetic Spelling: (khash-man')
KJV: princes
NASB: envoys
Word Origin: [from an unused root (probably meaning firm or capacious in resources)]

1. apparently wealthy

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

princes

From an unused root (probably meaning firm or capacious in resources); apparently wealthy -- princes.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
ambassador
NASB Translation
envoys (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[חַשְׁמַן] noun masculine only plural חַשְׁמַגִּים Psalm 68:32; meaning unknown, ᵐ5 ᵑ6 ᵑ9 ambassadors, Rabb nobles, conjectures from context; doubtless text error; Nes^{JBL 1891, 152} proposes בשׁמנים they shall come with oils, ointments, Hilg Che (after Aq Jerome) חָשִׁם hasting.

Topical Lexicon

Overview

חַשְׁמַן (Hashman) designates the “nobles” or “envoys” who are portrayed in Psalm 68 as representatives of foreign powers coming in homage to the God of Israel. Though the word appears only once in the Old Testament, its placement in a triumphal psalm gives it outsized theological weight, linking it to the broader biblical theme of the nations acknowledging the LORD.

Biblical Occurrence and Immediate Context

Psalm 68:31 declares, “Envoys will arrive from Egypt; Cush will stretch out her hands to God.” The term “envoys” translates חַשְׁמַנִּים, the plural of חַשְׁמַן. Verses 24-35 depict a victory procession in which God, enthroned in Zion, is celebrated by Israel and ultimately by the surrounding nations. The appearance of Egyptian nobles signals the extension of divine kingship beyond Israel’s borders.

Historical Background

1. Davidic Setting: Psalm 68 is commonly associated with the period when the ark was brought to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6). David’s geopolitical reach included alliances and skirmishes with Egypt’s neighbors. A vision of Egyptian dignitaries recognizing Israel’s God would have encouraged the nation amid regional power struggles.
2. Ancient Diplomatic Practice: In the Ancient Near East, victorious kings routinely received delegations bearing tribute (1 Kings 10:1-2). Psalm 68 adopts this imagery, portraying the LORD as the ultimate suzerain before whom even Egypt’s aristocracy must bow.
3. Egypt and Cush in Israel’s Memory: Egypt symbolizes both past oppression (Exodus 1-14) and future redemption (Isaiah 19:19-25). Cush (modern Sudan/Ethiopia) carried similar connotations (Zephaniah 3:10). Their appearance together embodies the farthest reaches of the known world responding to God’s reign.

Theological Significance

1. Universal Sovereignty: The Psalmist anticipates the fulfillment of Genesis 12:3—that all families of the earth will be blessed through Abraham’s line.
2. Reversal Motif: The nation that once enslaved Israel now sends its finest as supplicants. This mirrors God’s pattern of turning worldly power structures upside down (Exodus 15:14-16; Psalm 2:10-12).
3. Worship Mission of Israel: Israel’s victories were never ends in themselves but means by which the LORD’s fame would reach the nations (1 Chronicles 16:24). Hashman underscores that missional trajectory.
4. Foreshadowing Messianic Reign: Prophets later expand the picture—Isaiah 60:3, 6; Psalm 72:10-11; Zechariah 14:16—culminating in the multinational worship described in Revelation 21:24-26.

Ministerial Application

• Global Gospel Vision: Just as the Psalm anticipates foreign dignitaries coming to Zion, the church today anticipates “every nation, tribe, people, and language” gathered before the Lamb (Revelation 7:9). Hashman challenges believers to view global missions as the outworking of God’s ancient plan.
• Confidence in Providence: God’s people can trust that even formidable powers will ultimately serve His purposes (Proverbs 21:1).
• Prayer for Authorities: If nobles of Egypt are pictured stretching their hands to God, modern leaders are likewise candidates for divine persuasion (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
• Worship-Centered Witness: Psalm 68 links vibrant corporate praise with evangelistic impact. Congregations that exalt God’s kingship become instruments through which outsiders are drawn to Him.

Related Scriptures and Themes

• Exodus 9:16 – God raises Pharaoh “to show you My power, and that My name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”
• Isaiah 19:21 – “The LORD will make Himself known to Egypt, and on that day the Egyptians will acknowledge the LORD.”
• Isaiah 60:3 – “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”
• Psalm 72:11 – “All kings will bow down to him, and all nations will serve him.”
• Revelation 21:24 – “The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.”

Conclusion

Though חַשְׁמַן appears only once, it encapsulates God’s long-promised victory over human pride and His gracious inclusion of the nations in covenant blessing. The sight of Egyptian nobles journeying to Zion prefigures the ultimate gathering of all peoples before the throne of God and of the Lamb.

Forms and Transliterations

חַ֭שְׁמַנִּים חשמנים Chashmannim ḥaš·man·nîm ḥašmannîm

Englishman's Concordance

Psalm 68:31
HEB: יֶאֱתָ֣יוּ חַ֭שְׁמַנִּים מִנִּ֣י מִצְרָ֑יִם
NAS: Envoys will come out of Egypt;
KJV: Princes shall come out of Egypt;
INT: will come Envoys out of Egypt

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 2831
1 Occurrence

ḥaš·man·nîm — 1 Occ.