Hushathites
The Hushathites were a clan or family that produced several of David's mighty warriors, including Sibbecai and Mebunnai.
Biography
The Hushathites were a family or clan within the tribe of Judah, associated with the town of Hushah (likely modern Khirbet Husan near Bethlehem). They are known primarily through two of David's elite warriors: Sibbecai the Hushathite, who slew the Philistine giant Saph during the wars against the Philistines (2 Samuel 21:18; 1 Chronicles 20:4), and Mebunnai the Hushathite, listed among David's Thirty mighty men (2 Samuel 23:27).
Sibbecai also commanded one of the twelve monthly divisions of David's army (1 Chronicles 27:11), serving in the eighth month with a contingent of 24,000 men. The clan's repeated appearance in military contexts suggests the Hushathites were a warrior family of some distinction within Judah's tribal structure, contributing significantly to the security of the Davidic kingdom.
Significance
The Hushathites demonstrate that God's purposes in establishing David's kingdom were served by communities as well as individuals. Sibbecai's defeat of the Philistine giant echoes the earlier tradition of David slaying Goliath, suggesting that the spirit of covenant courage could be cultivated within families and clans. Their dual representation among David's elite warriors and military commanders reflects how tribal communities provided the human infrastructure of the kingdom.
Theologically, the Hushathites illustrate that faithful service in specific, local communities, even those unrenowned in themselves, contributes to the broader work of defending God's covenant people and advancing the stability of the Davidic dynasty.
Verse Appearances (5)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]