Hushathite
Hushathite is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Husan. It appears across 6 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Hushah (the city from which the gentile designation "Hushathite" derives) was a town in the territory of Judah, closely associated with the family of Judah's descendants through Caleb. First Chronicles 4:4 identifies Ezer as the father of Hushah, placing the town's founding within the genealogical records of Judah. The town is best known through its most famous residents: Sibbecai (also spelled Mebunnai) the Hushathite, one of David's elite warriors. Sibbecai distinguished himself by slaying the Philistine giant Saph (also called Sippai) at Gob during one of David's wars with the Philistines (2 Samuel 21:18; 1 Chronicles 20:4). Sibbecai held a position of considerable military authority, serving as commander of the eighth division of David's army, responsible for duty in the eighth month with twenty-four thousand men under his command (1 Chronicles 27:11). He is also listed among the Thirty, David's most honored warriors (2 Samuel 23:27; 1 Chronicles 11:29). The repeated references to the "Hushathite" designation underscore the importance of hometown identity in ancient Israelite society.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Hushah has been identified with the modern Palestinian village of Husan, located approximately five kilometers west of Bethlehem in the Judean hill country. The village sits on a hillside overlooking the Wadi el-Biyar, in terrain typical of the Judean Shephelah foothills. Surface surveys in the Husan area have identified pottery from the Iron Age, Roman, and Byzantine periods, indicating long-term settlement. The site's proximity to Bethlehem and its location in the border zone between the Judean highlands and the coastal lowlands made it strategically relevant, particularly during the Philistine conflicts described in the David narratives. No major excavation has been conducted at the site, though its identification with biblical Hushah is widely accepted based on the preservation of the ancient name.
Verse Appearances (6)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →