Original Word: הוֹד
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Howd
Pronunciation: hōd
Phonetic Spelling: (hode)
KJV: Hod
NASB: Hod
Word Origin: [the same as H1935 (הוֹד - splendor)]

1. Hod, an Israelite

Hod

The same as howd; Hod, an Israelite -- Hod.

see HEBREW howd

Word Origin
from the same as hod
Definition
"splendor, vigor," an Asherite
NASB Translation
Hod (1).

II. הוֺד proper name, masculine (splendour, vigour) — a man of Asher 1 Chronicles 7:37.

Meaning of the Name

Hod carries the sense of “majesty,” “splendor,” or “honor.” As with many Hebrew personal names, the term embodies a divine attribute, transforming an abstract quality of God into a reminder of personal identity. Naming a child “Hod” publicly acknowledged that true honor resides in the Lord and that any dignity experienced by His people is derived from Him.

Position in the Chronicles Genealogy

1 Chronicles 7:37 lists Hod among the descendants of Asher: “Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera”. The Asherite genealogy stretches from Jacob’s household (Genesis 46:17) through the settlement in Canaan and down to the early monarchy and beyond the exile. By inserting Hod’s name, the Chronicler certifies the uninterrupted survival of Asher’s lineage. This mattered deeply to the post-exilic community because tribal pedigrees determined land rights (Numbers 34:13, Joshua 19:24-31) and participation in worship (Ezra 2:62).

Historical Background

The tribe of Asher inherited fertile territory along the northern coast and lower Galilee, an area repeatedly contested by neighboring powers. Its prosperity fulfilled Jacob’s prophetic blessing, “From Asher will come rich food” (Genesis 49:20). The mention of Hod during the monarchy era (reflected in the Chronicles record) indicates that Asher produced noteworthy clans even after the tribe’s coastal holdings endured political pressure from Tyre and Phoenicia. While Hod’s individual exploits are not preserved, his placement within the genealogy tells later readers that Asher’s households remained intact, enabling the tribe to supply warriors to David (1 Chronicles 12:36) and to participate in Hezekiah’s Passover invitation (2 Chronicles 30:11).

Theological Resonance of “Majesty”

Though Hod appears only once as a name, Scripture frequently uses the same root to describe divine glory:

• “Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy fill His dwelling” (1 Chronicles 16:27).
• “Gird Your sword upon Your side, O Mighty One; appear in Your majesty and splendor” (Psalm 45:3).
• “They will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God” (Isaiah 35:2).

By bearing this name, Hod’s parents linked their son with the manifest glory of God. The individual, therefore, became a living testimony that human worth flows from the Lord’s own excellence. Even an otherwise obscure Asherite stands as evidence that divine splendor reaches ordinary households.

Ministry Applications

1. Identity: Believers today derive dignity from God’s majesty, not from personal achievement. The name Hod encourages Christians to root self-worth in the character of God rather than cultural status.
2. Genealogical Faithfulness: The solitary reference shows how carefully God preserves every member of His covenant family. Pastors may draw comfort that the Lord knows each congregant by name, even when church records seem mundane.
3. Legacy: Parents naming children after divine qualities remind the next generation of their calling. Modern ministry can revive this practice by highlighting biblical attributes in child dedication and instruction.

Related Biblical Themes

Honor and Humility – God “crowns the humble with salvation” (Psalm 149:4). A name meaning “majesty” given to an otherwise unknown man underlines that honor accompanies humility before the Lord.

Remnant Preservation – Hod’s place in the Asherite roll models the larger doctrine of a faithful remnant: though scattered and pressured, the covenant people are never erased (Romans 11:5).

Glory Reflected – Just as the moon reflects the sun’s light, so believers mirror divine “hod.” “We all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Summary

Hod, the Asherite mentioned once in 1 Chronicles 7:37, embodies the truth that God’s majesty is not confined to throne rooms or prophetic visions but threads through family trees and ordinary lives. His brief appearance affirms the faithfulness of God to preserve His people, assign them identity rooted in divine splendor, and weave every name—however obscure—into the larger tapestry of redemption history.

וָה֗וֹד והוד vaHod wā·hō·wḏ wāhōwḏInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts