חֲצִי הַמְּנַחְתִּי
a Chatsi-ham-Menachtite or descendant of Chatsi-ham-Menuchoth
Definition
The term חֲצִי הַמְּנַחְתִּי (Chatsi-ham-Menachtite) is a gentilic noun, meaning 'a descendant or member of the clan of Chatsi-ham-Menuchoth.' It identifies a specific family group within the tribe of Judah. This designation is used exclusively in the genealogical records of 1 Chronicles 2:54 to list the descendants of Salma, who settled in Bethlehem. The name itself is derived from a place or clan name, 'Chatsi-ham-Menuchoth,' which likely refers to a location or settlement associated with this Judahite family.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only once in the entire Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 2:54. Its usage is strictly genealogical, functioning as a clan or family name within the detailed lineage of Judah. It is part of a list documenting the descendants who inhabited Bethlehem, emphasizing the tribal and familial organization of Israel.
Etymology
The term is a patronymic, formed from the place or clan name חֲצִי הַמְּנֻחוֹת (Chatsi-ham-Menuchoth, H2679). The first element, 'חֲצִי' (chatsi), means 'half' or 'portion,' and 'מְנֻחוֹת' (menuchoth) is related to the root for 'resting places' or 'settlements.' Thus, the original name likely signified 'half (or portion) of the settlements' or 'half of the resting places,' denoting a specific geographic division or community.
Semantic Range
In ancient Israelite culture, genealogies like the one in 1 Chronicles 2 were crucial for establishing tribal identity, land inheritance, and social standing. Being identified as a 'Chatsi-ham-Menachtite' located an individual within the tribe of Judah and connected them to a specific settlement near Bethlehem. This reflects the importance of lineage and geographic origin in Israel's social and religious structure, where family and land were divinely apportioned.
יְהוּדִי (Yᵉhûdîy, H3064) — A general term for a member of the tribe of Judah, whereas Chatsi-ham-Menachtite specifies a sub-clan.
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 →