חֲשֻׁבָה
Cashubah, an Israelite
Definition
חֲשֻׁבָה (Chăshubâh) is a proper noun referring to an individual named Cashubah (or Hashubah in the KJV), who appears as a descendant of King David in the genealogy of 1 Chronicles 3:20. The name is derived from the Hebrew root meaning 'to think, account, or esteem,' suggesting a sense of 'considered' or 'esteemed.' As a personal name, it carries the connotation of being 'reckoned' or 'valued,' likely reflecting the parents' hope or declaration about the child's significance. In its sole biblical occurrence, it functions solely as the name of a person, with no other developed meanings or senses in different passages.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exactly once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 3:20, within a genealogical list of the post-exilic descendants of Zerubbabel. It identifies Cashubah as one of the sons of Zerubbabel, a key figure in the restoration community. The usage is purely onomastic (name-giving) within a historical record, with no narrative context or patterns beyond its function in lineage documentation.
Etymology
The name חֲשֻׁבָה is a feminine passive participle form derived from the root חָשַׁב (H2803, chāshav), which means 'to think, plan, esteem, reckon, or account.' The name essentially means 'considered' or 'accounted for.' It shares this root with words for thought, device, and purpose (e.g., מַחֲשָׁבָה, machashavah, 'thought'). The meaning development is straightforward: from the verbal action of 'reckoning' to a passive state of being 'reckoned' or 'esteemed,' applied as a personal name.
Semantic Range
While the name itself is not theologically loaded, its placement in the Davidic genealogy of 1 Chronicles is significant. It contributes to the biblical theme of God's faithfulness to the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7) even after the exile. The name's meaning ('esteemed') may subtly reflect the value God places on each individual within His covenantal line, through whom the Messiah would come. Understanding the root meaning enriches the reading by connecting this otherwise obscure name to the broader biblical concepts of God's purposeful accounting and valuation of His people.
In ancient Israelite culture, names were often meaningful, reflecting circumstances at birth, parental hopes, or attributes. A name like Cashubah ('considered' or 'esteemed') likely expressed the parents' sense of the child's value or perhaps a divine acknowledgment. This differs from modern naming conventions, where meaning is often secondary to sound or family tradition. As a genealogical entry, it also highlights the importance of lineage and recorded ancestry in maintaining tribal and familial identity, especially crucial for the post-exilic community re-establishing itself.
While there are no direct synonyms for this proper name, it shares its root with: חָשַׁב (chāshav, H2803) — the root verb meaning 'to think, account, or plan,' from which the name is derived.
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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