Word Study for H624 (אָסֻף) | Strong's Concordance

ʼâçuph /aw-soof'/ Ask about this word

Rootpassive participle of אָסַף

Meaningcollected (only in the plural), i.e. a collection of offerings)

KJV usagethreshold, Asuppim.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʼâçuph — 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 ʼâçuph, represented by H624, is a term derived from a root meaning to collect. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible. Its definition is "collected (only in the plural), i.e. a collection of offerings); threshold, Asuppim," indicating its use to describe either a specific location or a storehouse.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical contexts, H624 consistently refers to a specific, guarded location related to the temple or its gates. In Nehemiah, it is translated as thresholds, where individuals like Mattaniah H4983, Bakbukiah H1229, Obadiah H5662, and others were stationed as porters H7778 keeping H8104 the ward H4929 at the gates H8179 Nehemiah 12:25. The word also appears as a proper name, Asuppim, in 1 Chronicles. It is mentioned as the "house H1004 of Asuppim" which was assigned to the sons H1121 of Obed-edom H5654, and as a Levitical post where "two and two" men were stationed (1 Chronicles 26:15, 1 Chronicles 26:17).

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the function and context of H624:

H1004 bayith (house): This word for a house or temple is used directly in the phrase "the house of Asuppim," establishing it as a specific building or chamber 1 Chronicles 26:15.
H7778 shôwʻêr (porter): This term for a doorkeeper or porter identifies the individuals whose duty it was to guard the thresholds H624, linking the location to a specific role in temple service Nehemiah 12:25.
H4929 mishmâr (ward): This word signifies a guard, post, or watch. Its use shows that the thresholds H624 were not just an entrance but an official post that required a diligent ward to be kept Nehemiah 12:25.

Theological Significance

The significance of H624 is tied to the administration and security of sacred space.

Order in Sacred Service: The specific assignment of the "house H1004 of Asuppim" to the family of Obed-edom H5654 and the precise allotment of Levites H3881 to that post highlights the divine order and detailed organization required for temple worship (1 Chronicles 26:15, 1 Chronicles 26:17).
Faithful Stewardship: The location is explicitly linked to porters H7778 who were "keeping H8104 the ward H4929." This underscores the theological importance of faithful stewardship and the responsibility of guarding the holy places Nehemiah 12:25.
Place of Collection: The root meaning of "collected" and "a collection of offerings" implies that Asuppim functioned as a storehouse. This points to the practical systems established for gathering and managing provisions necessary for the temple's operation.

Summary

In summary, H624 is a precise term that refers to a functional part of the temple complex, either as thresholds or the house of Asuppim. While its appearances are few, they provide valuable insight into the structured and orderly nature of Levitical duties. The word connects a physical location to the vital roles of stewardship, guarding, and collection that were essential to the life and worship of Israel.

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 3 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.

אֲסֻפִּים
אֲסֻפֵּי

Related Words

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.

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

1 Chronicles

Nehemiah

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.