חַשְׁחוּת
necessity
Definition
חַשְׁחוּת is a noun meaning 'necessity' or 'needful thing.' It refers to something that is required or essential, often in the context of official or religious provisions. In its sole biblical occurrence in Ezra 7:20, it specifically denotes the supplies or items necessary for the service of the temple in Jerusalem. The term carries a sense of obligation and urgency, indicating items that are not merely optional but fundamentally required for the proper functioning of worship.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Ezra 7:20. It appears in the context of a royal decree from King Artaxerxes, authorizing the provision of silver, wheat, wine, oil, and salt for the temple service. The usage is administrative and religious, specifying the 'needful things' for the house of God. There are no other occurrences, so its pattern is limited to this singular, official context of provisioning for worship.
Etymology
חַשְׁחוּת is derived from a root corresponding to the Aramaic root חֲשַׁח (H2818), which means 'to need' or 'to be necessary.' It is a noun form that concretizes the concept of necessity. The word appears in Biblical Aramaic within the book of Ezra, reflecting the linguistic context of the Persian period administration.
Semantic Range
This word highlights the theme of God's provision and the importance of proper resources for worship. In Ezra 7:20, it underscores how secular authority (King Artaxerxes) is used by God to supply the 'necessities' for temple service, illustrating divine sovereignty over human rulers. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by emphasizing that worship requires tangible provision and that God orchestrates the means to meet those needs, linking practical logistics with spiritual obedience.
In its original setting, חַשְׁחוּת reflects the administrative language of the Persian Empire, where royal decrees often detailed provisions for religious institutions. The 'necessities' listed (like silver, wheat, wine, oil, salt) were standard commodities for ancient Near Eastern temple maintenance and rituals. This differs from a modern abstract sense of 'need,' as it points to specific, material items essential for cultic practice, showing the integration of economic support with religious duty in post-exilic Judah.
צֹרֶךְ (tsorek, H6810) — a more general Hebrew term for 'need' or 'necessity,' used in various contexts, not specifically cultic. דָּבָר (davar, H1697) — often means 'thing' or 'matter,' but can imply a necessary affair in context, broader and less specific to obligation.
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.
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