חֶזְיוֹן
Chezjon, a Syrian
Definition
חֶזְיוֹן (Chezyôwn) is a proper noun referring to a Syrian king, specifically Hezion, the grandfather of Ben-hadad I, king of Aram (Syria). The name appears only in 1 Kings 15:18, where King Asa of Judah sends tribute to Ben-hadad to break his covenant with Baasha, king of Israel. The name is etymologically derived from the Hebrew root for 'vision' or 'to see,' suggesting a possible meaning like 'vision' or 'seer.' As a personal name, it identifies a historical figure in the complex political alliances of the divided monarchy period.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exactly once in the Old Testament, in 1 Kings 15:18. It functions solely as a proper name, identifying King Hezion in a genealogical note about the Syrian king Ben-hadad. The context is political history, detailing King Asa's attempt to secure a military alliance against the northern kingdom of Israel by appealing to Syria.
Etymology
The name חֶזְיוֹן (Chezyôwn) is derived from the root חָזָה (ḥāzâ, H2372), meaning 'to see, behold, or perceive,' often in a visionary or prophetic sense. It is related to the common noun חָזוֹן (ḥāzôn, H2377), meaning 'vision' or 'revelation.' As a personal name, it likely carried a meaning such as 'vision' or 'one who sees,' a practice common in Semitic onomastics where names reflect divine attributes or hopes.
Semantic Range
While the name itself is not theologically loaded, its single appearance underscores a significant theological theme: the folly of Judah's kings relying on foreign political alliances (Isaiah 31:1) and military power instead of trusting in God. King Asa's action, which mentions Hezion's grandson, is later criticized as a failure of faith (2 Chronicles 16:7-9). The name's etymological connection to 'vision' ironically contrasts with the spiritual short-sightedness of seeking human aid over divine protection.
In the ancient Near East, personal names often held meaning and were not merely labels. A name like Chezyôwn ('vision') may have reflected parental hopes or acknowledged a deity associated with revelation. As a Syrian (Aramean) name, it illustrates the cultural and linguistic connections between Israel and its northern neighbors. Its recording in the biblical text reflects the historiographic practice of noting foreign rulers in political narratives.
חָזוֹן (chazon, H2377) — The common noun for 'vision' or 'revelation,' from the same root, used extensively in the prophetic books.
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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