English · KJV
H2621

חֹסָה

Chôçâh /kho-saw'/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom חָסָה
Meaninghopeful; Chosah, an Israelite; also a place in Palestine
KJV usageHosah.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Chôçâh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word Chôçâh, represented by H2621, serves as a proper name for both an Israelite and a place in Palestine. It appears 5 times across 5 unique verses in the Bible. Its base definition is hopeful.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H2621 is used in two distinct contexts. Geographically, it identifies a place named Hosah along the coastal boundary of a tribe Joshua 19:29. More frequently, it refers to a person named Hosah, a Levite from the children of Merari 1 Chronicles 26:10. This Hosah is listed among the porters 1 Chronicles 16:38 and is noted as the father of thirteen sons and brethren who also served in this capacity 1 Chronicles 26:11. His duties involved specific guard assignments at the temple, determined by lot 1 Chronicles 26:16.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the function and environment of Hosah's service:

  • H7778 shôwʻêr (doorkeeper, porter): This title explicitly defines Hosah's role within the Levitical service 1 Chronicles 16:38. Porters were a significant group, with four thousand appointed by David to guard the gates 1 Chronicles 23:5.
  • H8179 shaʻar (gate): This word specifies the physical location of Hosah's assigned duty 1 Chronicles 26:16. The gates were not merely entrances but were central to temple worship and security, places to enter with thanksgiving Psalms 100:4.
  • H4929 mishmâr (ward, guard, office, watch): This term describes the nature of the porters' duty. Hosah's assignment was part of a structured system of "ward against ward" 1 Chronicles 26:16, a responsibility also referred to as the sacred offices of the house of God Nehemiah 13:14.

Theological Significance

The story of H2621 carries significant thematic weight concerning the structure of worship.

  • Structured Service: The account of Hosah as a porter illustrates the highly organized and accountable nature of Levitical duties. The casting of lots for his post at the gate, "ward against ward," shows a system of responsibility 1 Chronicles 26:16.
  • Familial Dedication: The record of Hosah and his thirteen sons and brethren serving together highlights a legacy of faithful service passed through a family, demonstrating a multigenerational commitment to the tasks of the sanctuary 1 Chronicles 26:11.
  • Appointed Leadership: The detail that Hosah appointed his son Simri as chief, even though he was not the firstborn, suggests that leadership within this sacred service was based on more than just birth order 1 Chronicles 26:10.

Summary

In summary, Chôçâh H2621 is primarily identified as a Levite dedicated to the crucial role of a temple porter. While it also names a location Joshua 19:29, its main significance lies in the person of Hosah, whose family was entrusted with guarding the sacred gates. The name, meaning hopeful, is connected to a figure whose life and legacy represent faithful, organized, and divinely appointed service at the house of God.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 5 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • חֹסָה
  • חֹסָה

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H7778 שׁוֹעֵר or שֹׁעֵר active participle of שָׁעַר (as denominative from שַׁעַר); a janitor; doorkeeper, porter. H8179 שַׁעַר from שָׁעַר in its original sense; an opening, i.e. door or gate; city, door, gate, port ([idiom] -er). H4929 מִשְׁמָר from שָׁמַר; a guard (the man, the post or the prison); a deposit (figuratively); also (as observed) a usage (abstractly

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 5 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 1 Chronicles (4 verses); never once in the other 37.

1
Joshua
4
1 Chronicles

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.