חָשִׂף (cha.siph)
cha.siph
little flock
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun chaṣîp refers to small groups of goats, specifically appearing in the Hebrew Bible only as a construct plural in 1 Kings 20:27. In this context, it describes "two little flocks of goats" that King Ben-Hadad had set aside for his personal table, distinct from the larger herds kept for the general population.
This rare term highlights a distinction between ordinary livestock and premium provisions reserved for royalty. The sources note its singular occurrence in this narrative about the siege of Samaria, where these specific animals represent the king’s private reserve rather than a general agricultural category.
Because it appears only once, the word offers no broader semantic range to analyze. Its significance lies entirely in that single historical detail: even kings maintained separate, smaller herds for their own consumption, marking a clear social and economic divide between the ruler’s table and the common people’s food supply.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word chaṣîp describes a small flock, specifically used in 1 Kings to depict the Israelite army as two little flocks of young goats against the vast Syrian forces. This imagery reminds us that God often works through what seems small or insignificant in human eyes. When we feel overwhelmed by circumstances that seem too large for our strength, this word offers a quiet reassurance: size does not determine outcome.
In the biblical narrative, these 'little flocks' stood against an army that filled the country, yet they were equipped and led by God. This suggests that our value in His sight is not measured by our numbers or resources, but by our faithfulness and reliance on Him. Even when we feel like a small group among many challenges, we are never alone.
May this reminder bring peace to your heart today. Trust that the same God who guided those young goats also watches over you, providing strength for every step of your journey.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- little flocks of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חֲשִׂפֵ֣י1×