2832. Chashmonah

Lexical Summary

Chashmonah: Chashmonah

Original Word: חַשְׁמֹנָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Chashmonah
Pronunciation: khash-mo-NAH
Phonetic Spelling: (khash-mo-naw')
KJV: Hashmonah
NASB: Hashmonah
Word Origin: [feminine of H2831 (חַשׁמַן - envoys)]

1. fertile
2. Chasmonah, a place in the Desert

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Hashmonah

Feminine of chashman; fertile; Chasmonah, a place in the Desert -- Hashmonah.

see HEBREW chashman

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
fem. of chashman
Definition
a place in the S. desert
NASB Translation
Hashmonah (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

חַשְׁמֹנָה proper name, of a location a station of Israel in wilderness Numbers 33:29,30, site unknown.

חשׁן (√ of following; meaning not certain; Arabic is be excellent, beautiful; beauty, all excellence; hence possibly חשֶׁן either as chief ornament of ephod, or as the most excellent, precious article of high priest's attire).

Topical Lexicon

Entry: Hashmonah (חַשְׁמֹנָה)

Geographic Setting

• Located between Mithkah and Moseroth on the Israelites’ wilderness itinerary (Numbers 33:29–30).
• The station lies in the central‐southern Sinai corridor, probably along the western edge of the Arabah where the trade routes skirt the eastern highlands of the Wilderness of Paran.
• Suggested identifications include Khirbet el‐Hôsheim or a nearby oasis system fed by seasonal wadis. None of the proposals is archaeologically confirmed, yet the geographical sequence fits a gradual northward swing toward Ezion Geber and Kadesh.

Biblical Record

Numbers 33 lists Hashmonah as the twenty-sixth camp after the Exodus:

“They set out from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah. They set out from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth” (Numbers 33:29–30).

The context places the camp soon after Israel had crossed the deepest heart of the wilderness and shortly before the deaths of Aaron at Moseroth (compare Deuteronomy 10:6) and Miriam at Kadesh (Numbers 20:1).

Historical Background

• Date: c. 1446–1406 BC (traditional fifteenth-century Exodus chronology).
• Setting: The generation that left Egypt was dying out (Numbers 26:63–65). The next camps—Moseroth, Bene Jaakan, Hor Haggidgad, and Jotbathah—are clustered along the escarpments of eastern Edom, anticipating Israel’s final approach to the plains of Moab.
• Political climate: The region was lightly populated by nomadic tribes related to Edom and Midian; no conflict is recorded at Hashmonah, suggesting either a barren locale or peaceful passage protected by the LORD.

Theological Themes

1. Divine Guidance. Hashmonah stands as another marker of Yahweh’s daily direction by cloud and fire (Exodus 40:36–38). Even places that seem nameless or uneventful are remembered in the inspired record, underscoring His meticulous shepherding.
2. Provision in Barren Places. The possible root idea of “richness” or “fertility” contrasts with its desert surroundings, reminding the faithful that God’s abundance does not depend on external circumstances (Psalms 78:19–20).
3. Transition and Preparation. Hashmonah precedes the mourning for Aaron and the commissioning of Eleazar (Numbers 20:23–29; Deuteronomy 10:6). The camp thus forms part of the hinge between the former priesthood and the new leadership poised to enter Canaan.

Archaeological and Scholarly Notes

• The route from Mithkah to Hashmonah is debated; some scholars transpose Moseroth and Bene Jaakan with their Deuteronomy parallels, but the Numbers order is to be preferred as the primary itinerary.
• Lack of material remains is consistent with nomadic encampments that leave minimal stratigraphic signatures. The preservation of the name only in Scripture highlights the reliability of the inspired record over silence in the archaeological data.

Ministry Application

• Remembering the “small” places: Just as Hashmonah receives two verses yet plays a role in the larger redemptive narrative, every stage of a believer’s pilgrimage matters (Philippians 1:6).
• Trusting God’s timing: Israel could not accelerate the journey; they moved “at the LORD’s command” (Numbers 9:18–23). Modern disciples likewise advance when and where the Lord leads.
• Teaching tool: When mapping the Exodus, Hashmonah helps students visualize the length and complexity of the wanderings, reinforcing lessons on obedience, patience, and covenant faithfulness.

Related Passages for Further Study

Exodus 40:36–38; Numbers 20:23–29; Numbers 26:63–65; Deuteronomy 10:6; Psalm 78:19–20; 1 Corinthians 10:1–13; Hebrews 3:7–19.

Forms and Transliterations

בְּחַשְׁמֹנָֽה׃ בחשמנה׃ מֵֽחַשְׁמֹנָ֑ה מחשמנה bə·ḥaš·mō·nāh bechashmoNah bəḥašmōnāh mê·ḥaš·mō·nāh mechashmoNah mêḥašmōnāh

Englishman's Concordance

Numbers 33:29
HEB: מִמִּתְקָ֑ה וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּחַשְׁמֹנָֽה׃
NAS: from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah.
KJV: and pitched in Hashmonah.
INT: Mithkah and camped Hashmonah

Numbers 33:30
HEB: וַיִּסְע֖וּ מֵֽחַשְׁמֹנָ֑ה וַֽיַּחֲנ֖וּ בְּמֹסֵרֽוֹת׃
NAS: They journeyed from Hashmonah and camped
KJV: And they departed from Hashmonah, and encamped
INT: journeyed Hashmonah and camped Moseroth

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2832
2 Occurrences

bə·ḥaš·mō·nāh — 1 Occ.
mê·ḥaš·mō·nāh — 1 Occ.