Word Study for H2810 (חִשָּׁבוֹן)

chishshâbôwn /khish-shaw-bone'/ Ask about this word

Meaninga contrivance, i.e. actual (a warlike machine) or mental (a machination)

KJV usageengine, invention.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of chishshâbôwn — 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 chishshâbôwn, represented by H2810, refers to a contrivance. This can be a physical object, such as a warlike engine, or a mental concept, like an invention or machination. It appears 2 times across 2 unique verses, with each occurrence highlighting one of these distinct applications.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of H2810 in scripture provide a clear contrast between the tangible and the abstract. In its physical sense, it describes the engines that King Uzziah had constructed in Jerusalem. These were "invented by cunning men" and placed on towers and bulwarks to shoot arrows and stones 2 Chronicles 26:15. In its abstract, mental sense, it is used in Ecclesiastes to describe humanity's departure from its original state. God made man upright, but "they have sought out many inventions" Ecclesiastes 7:29.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning of H2810 by providing context for the act of inventing and thinking:

H2803 châshab (to plot or contrive): As the root of H2810, this word signifies the mental effort of devising or planning. It is used to describe how God "meant it unto good" what was intended for evil Genesis 50:20, and how people who fear the LORD "thought upon his name" Malachi 3:16.
H4284 machăshâbâh (a contrivance, plan, device): This word appears with H2810 in the description of the war engines "invented" by cunning men 2 Chronicles 26:15. It often refers to human plans or "devices" in contrast to God's counsel Proverbs 19:21.
H1245 bâqash (to search out, seek): This word is used to describe the action that leads to the "inventions" in Ecclesiastes, where humanity has "sought out" many of them Ecclesiastes 7:29. It highlights an active striving after these contrivances.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H2810 is found in its sharp portrayal of human agency.

Duality of Human Contrivance: The word encompasses both skillful, physical fabrication (the "engines" of war) and questionable, mental machinations (the "inventions" man has sought out). It reflects the two-sided nature of human creativity.
A Departure from Uprightness: The context in Ecclesiastes presents these "inventions" as the result of humanity's search after God created them "upright" Ecclesiastes 7:29. This suggests that human-derived complexities are a deviation from a simpler, divinely intended state.
Misdirected Seeking: The active verb "sought out" H1245 in Ecclesiastes 7:29 stands in contrast to the many biblical calls to "seek the LORD" Zephaniah 2:3. This implies that the pursuit of human "inventions" can be a diversion from the primary pursuit of God.

Summary

In summary, H2810 is a specific and powerful term that, despite its rarity, illustrates a significant biblical theme. It defines human contrivance in both its literal form as physical engines 2 Chronicles 26:15 and its figurative sense as mental inventions that mark a departure from God's design Ecclesiastes 7:29. The word captures the essence of human ingenuity and its potential to either build or to stray from the path of divine simplicity.

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 2 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.

חִשְּׁבֹנוֹת
חִשְּׁבֹנוֹת

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 2 Chronicles and Ecclesiastes (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

2 Chronicles

Ecclesiastes

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.