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חָצוֹר

𐤇𐤑𐤅𐤓

Chatsor

H2674 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חצר to enclose, to settle, to encamp

Definition

Proper noun: Refers to several distinct locations named Hatsor/Hazor in ancient texts, most commonly a significant city in the northern region of Canaan noted in narratives concerning the Israelite conquest, as well as other lesser settlements. As a common noun (rare), can indicate a collective of enclosed settlements or villages. The primary lexical meaning is the designation of these places, often with fortified or enclosure connotations implied by the possible root.

Semantic Range

the city of Hazor in northern Canaan; smaller settlements named Hazor/Hatsor; (rarely) a collective reference to settlements or villages, but primarily as a fixed place-name

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root חצר (ḥ-ṣ-r), which means 'to enclose, fence in, settle, encamp.' The form חָצוֹר is a place-name formation, likely signifying 'enclosed settlement' or 'fortified place.' Place-names of this type tend to draw from a root-word describing a characteristic feature—in this case, an enclosure or settlement, but over time the word became a fixed toponym.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Throughout the Hebrew Bible, חָצוֹר primarily designates a major city in northern Canaan, which served as both a political center and an archetype of fortified settlement in Late Bronze and Iron Age periods (notably appearing in Joshua, Judges, and Kings). Its prominence is especially apparent in the narratives of the Israelite conquest (Josh 11). Smaller sites named Hazor also occur in other regions (Benjamin/Judah, Negev). English translations such as 'Hazor' preserve the toponym but risk eliding the generic sense of enclosed settlement. Over time, the name 'Hazor' lost its descriptive quality and functioned primarily as a proper noun. There is also mention outside the Land of Israel (Arabian Hazor), but the term is not used for 'village' or 'settlement' per se except through indirect relation to its root. Later usage (Second Temple, Rabbinic) treats חָצוֹר strictly as a place-name and does not connect it with later terms for religious or ethnic identity ('Jew/Judean'). Distinctions must be made from related terms such as חָצֵר (ḥatser, 'enclosure, courtyard, settlement'), which retains a generic meaning.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a collective form of חָצֵר; village; Chatsor, the name (thus simply) of two places in Palestine and of one in Arabia; Hazor.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חצר (ḥ-ṣ-r) — to enclose, to settle, to encamp

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1178 בַּעַל חָצוֹר Hazor Enclosed-Settlement
H2681 חָצִיר enclosed courtyard
H2682 חָצִיר field herbage
H2689 חֲצֹצְרָה in the silver trumpets
H2690 חָצַר the trumpet-sounding ones

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2674-02 חָצ֑וֹר chatsor HNp Hazor Enclosed-Settlement Hazor 15
H2674-03 וְ/חָצ֖וֹר vechatsor HC/Np and Hazor and Enclosed-Settlement (Hazor) 2
H2674-01 בְּ/חָצ֑וֹר bechatsor HR/Np in-Hazor in Hazor 1

Occurrences in Scripture

18 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2674-02 Joshua 11:1 חָצ֑וֹר chatsor HNp of Hazor Enclosed-Settlement Hazor
H2674-02 Joshua 11:10 חָצ֔וֹר chatsor HNp Hazor Enclosed-Settlement Hazor
H2674-02 Joshua 11:10 חָצ֣וֹר chatsor-2 HNp Hazor Enclosed-Settlement Hazor
H2674-02 Joshua 11:11 חָצ֖וֹר chatsor HNp Hazor Enclosed-Settlement Hazor
H2674-02 Joshua 11:13 חָצ֥וֹר chatsor HNp Hazor Enclosed-Settlement Hazor
H2674-02 Joshua 12:19 חָצ֖וֹר chatsor HNp Hazor Enclosed-Settlement Hazor
H2674-03 Joshua 15:23 וְ/חָצ֖וֹר vechatsor HC/Np and Hazor and Enclosed-Settlement (Hazor)
H2674-02 Joshua 15:25 חָצֽוֹר chatsor HNp Hazor Enclosed-Settlement Hazor
H2674-03 Joshua 19:36 וְ/חָצֽוֹר vechatsor HC/Np Hazor and Enclosed-Settlement (Hazor)
H2674-01 Judges 4:2 בְּ/חָצ֑וֹר bechatsor HR/Np in-Hazor in Hazor
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