Lexical Summary chasiph: Leaf, foliage Original Word: חָשִׂף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance little flock From chasaph; properly, drawn off, i.e. Separated; hence, a small company (as divided from the rest) -- little flock. see HEBREW chasaph NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chasaph Definition little flock NASB Translation little flocks (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [חָשִׂיף] noun masculine only plural construct כִּשְׁנֵי חֲשִׂפֵי עִזִּים 1 Kings 20:27 ᵐ5 ᵑ9 ᵑ7 and most, two little flocks of goats (חשׂיף = segregatum, strictly what is stripped off), but this without other evidence than authority of the Vrss; Klo proposes בַּשְּׁפִי מִשְׁמַּט עִזִּים on the bare height, after the manner of goats. Topical Lexicon Semantic Overview The Hebrew verb חָשִׂף carries the idea of stripping off, laying bare, or drawing up for action. In military contexts it pictures troops who have removed encumbrances so they can stand ready for engagement. While the root can describe literal bareness, its lone biblical appearance uses the term figuratively for a force that has been “stripped down” to fighting readiness. Scriptural Occurrence (1 Kings 20:27) “And the sons of Israel were mustered, equipped, and went out to meet them. The Israelites camped opposite them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.” (Berean Standard Bible) The clause “were mustered, equipped” translates חָשִׂף in the reflexive stem. Israel’s soldiers presented themselves free of non-essential baggage, able to respond instantly to the Lord’s call. The contrast is deliberate: a lean, purified band of covenant warriors against a vast Syrian host that “covered the countryside.” Historical Setting Ben-hadad of Aram had already invaded once and suffered a humiliating setback (1 Kings 20:13–21). He returns with “all” his army, reinforced by thirty-two vassal kings. Israel, reduced in number and resources after years of apostasy under Ahab, gathers at Aphek. The use of חָשִׂף highlights how completely their survival rests on God, not on numerical strength or elaborate provisioning. Their stripped-down formation becomes a living testimony that “the battle is the LORD’s” (1 Samuel 17:47). Spiritual and Theological Implications 1. Readiness through removal. Scripture frequently couples divine victory with the stripping away of human reliance—Gideon’s three hundred (Judges 7), Asa’s confession (2 Chronicles 14:11), the disciples told to carry no purse (Luke 10:4). חָשִׂף accents that theme: God often trims His people to essentials so His glory will be unmistakable. Practical Applications for Ministry • Mobilization: Leadership today must discern when programs, debt, or traditions hinder rapid obedience. A congregation “stripped” to prayer, Scripture, and sacrificial love may appear small beside worldly empires, yet history proves such bodies have outsized impact. Intertextual Connections • Exodus 14:14 – “The LORD will fight for you, while you remain still.” Israel in 1 Kings 20 embodies this principle by standing exposed yet victorious. Reflection for Personal Walk The solitary light of חָשִׂף asks every believer: What layers of self-reliance need to be stripped away so that Christ’s sufficiency shines? As Israel learned at Aphek, vulnerability under God’s command is a position of incomparable strength. Forms and Transliterations חֲשִׂפֵ֣י חשפי chasiFei ḥă·śi·p̄ê ḥăśip̄êLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 20:27 HEB: נֶגְדָּ֗ם כִּשְׁנֵי֙ חֲשִׂפֵ֣י עִזִּ֔ים וַאֲרָ֖ם NAS: them like two little flocks of goats, KJV: before them like two little flocks of kids; INT: before two little of goats the Arameans 1 Occurrence |
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