חַרְחַס (char.chas)
char.chas
Harhas
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name ḥarḥas appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, identifying a specific individual in the final days of Judah’s monarchy. Listed in 2 Kings 22:14 as the grandfather of Shallum, husband to the prophetess Huldah, this entry anchors a family line during King Josiah’s reforms.
Lexical sources suggest the name means "very poor," reflecting a humble social status rather than royal lineage. This etymology contrasts with the high-profile religious figures surrounding him, such as Huldah herself, highlighting how ordinary families intersected with significant biblical events.
The text also notes an alternative form, ḥasrah, used in the parallel account in 2 Chronicles 34:22. This variation underscores the textual transmission of names in ancient manuscripts while maintaining the same familial connection to the prophetic circle that advised the king.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name ḥarḥas appears in a single verse, identifying the grandfather of Shallum and husband to the prophetess Huldah. Its meaning suggests a state of being very poor or humble, standing in quiet contrast to the royal court where King Josiah was implementing major religious reforms. This detail reminds us that God’s work often moves through ordinary families rather than just those with high status.
Huldah received a crucial message from God during this pivotal time in Judah’s history. Her husband’s lineage, marked by humility, anchors her within the community of believers who responded to divine instruction. It is encouraging to see how everyday people played essential roles in preserving faith and guiding their nation back to God.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Harhas1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חַרְחַס֙1×
Key Verses
-
II Kings 22:14
So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter); and they talked with her.
This verse identifies ḥarḥas as the grandfather of Shallum, anchoring the family line of the prophetess Huldah during King Josiah's reforms.