אָסֻף
collected (only in the plural), i.e. a collection of offerings)
Definition
The Hebrew noun אָסֻף (ʼâçuph) is a passive participle meaning 'collected' or 'gathered,' and it appears only in the plural form. In its biblical usage, it refers specifically to a 'collection' or 'storehouse' for offerings and dedicated items. In 1 Chronicles 26:15 and 17, it denotes a storeroom or 'threshold' area (translated as 'Asuppim' in the KJV) associated with the temple gates, likely a place where contributions were gathered and guarded. In Nehemiah 12:25, it refers to 'storehouses' or treasuries for the temple's gifts and tithes, emphasizing their role in the logistical and religious support of worship.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in post-exilic historical books detailing the organization of the temple and its personnel. In 1 Chronicles 26, it describes guardhouses or storage chambers at the temple gates ('the house of Asuppim'), indicating a functional, logistical context for safeguarding offerings (1 Chronicles 26:15, 17). In Nehemiah 12:25, it appears in a list of Levitical responsibilities concerning 'the storehouses' (אָסֻפֵּי) for the gifts and tithes, highlighting its administrative role in the restored temple community.
Etymology
Derived from the root אָסַף (ʼâçaph, H622), meaning 'to gather, collect, or remove.' אָסֻף is the passive participle form, literally 'that which is gathered.' This root is common in Hebrew, appearing in words for 'ingathering' (as of harvest) and 'assembly.' The specific nominal form here developed to denote the place or result of gathering—hence, a collection or storehouse.
Semantic Range
While primarily an administrative term, אָסֻף connects to the theology of provision and stewardship in worship. The storehouses for offerings (Nehemiah 12:25) underscore the importance of systematic, faithful giving to support God's house and its servants, reflecting principles of tithing and communal responsibility (Malachi 3:10). Understanding this term enriches reading by highlighting the practical structures that enabled Israel's worship and the tangible expression of devotion through contributions.
In ancient Israelite culture, temple storehouses were vital for managing the influx of tithes, offerings, and dedicated goods that sustained the priesthood and maintained the sanctuary. These 'collections' were not merely warehouses but represented the people's material participation in the covenant. The term's association with gatehouses (1 Chronicles 26) also suggests a link between security, administration, and sacred space, differing from modern, secular concepts of storage.
אוֹצָר (ʼôtsâr, H214) — a general term for 'treasury' or 'storehouse,' often for valuables or royal wealth, whereas אָסֻף specifies a gathered collection, often for temple use. מִסְכְּנוֹת (mickᵉnôth, H4543) — 'storehouses' or 'granaries,' typically for grain (e.g., 2 Chronicles 32:28), with a broader agricultural focus compared to אָסֻף's cultic context.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →