Lexical Summary Chosah: To seek refuge, to trust, to take shelter Original Word: חֹסָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hosah From chacah; hopeful; Chosah, an Israelite; also a place in Palestine -- Hosah. see HEBREW chacah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chasah Definition a Levite, also a place in Asher NASB Translation Hosah (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֹסָה 1. proper name, masculine (refuge) — name of one of the Levitical doorkeepers of the temple 1 Chronicles 16:38; 1 Chronicles 26:10,11,16. 2. proper name, of a location place in the tribe of Asher Joshua 19:29; site unknown; ᵐ5 Ιασιφ, A Σουσα, ᵐ5L Ωσα. Topical Lexicon Occurrences in Scripture Joshua 19:29; 1 Chronicles 16:38; 1 Chronicles 26:10; 1 Chronicles 26:11; 1 Chronicles 26:16 A Border Town in Asher In Joshua 19:29, Hosah marks the maritime limit of the tribe of Asher. The verse concludes the coastal description: “Then the border turned to Ramah, even to the fortified city of Tyre; then the border turned to Hosah, and it ended at the sea in the region of Achzib”. Situated south of modern Rosh HaNikra and adjacent to the Phoenician sphere of Tyre, the town functioned as both a defensive point and a commercial gateway. Its placement at the “sea” underlines Asher’s call to interact with Gentile neighbors, foreshadowing the Gospel’s later advance to the nations while reminding Israel to remain distinct yet hospitable at its borders. A Merarite Gatekeeper and His Household 1 Chronicles introduces Hosah the Merarite as a Levitical guardian of the sanctuary. When David stationed Levites around the Ark in Jerusalem, “Obed-edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah were to be gatekeepers” (1 Chronicles 16:38). Gatekeeping was no menial post; it preserved the sanctity of worship by controlling access to holy precincts, illustrating the principle that fellowship with God requires both invitation and reverence. Hosah’s sons exemplify generational ministry. Although Shimri was not the firstborn, “his father made him chief” (1 Chronicles 26:10), indicating a merit-based, Spirit-guided appointment rather than automatic primogeniture. Verse 11 tallies thirteen male relatives—an ample force for sustained service. Verse 16 assigns Hosah to the western Shallecheth Gate, guarding the “ascending highway,” a strategic approach likely used for the transport of sacrificial wood. The post united practical security with spiritual symbolism: every offering ascended to God through a path kept pure. Historical Context and Significance 1 Chronicles situates Hosah’s ministry in David’s re-organization of temple worship (circa 1000 BC). By listing the clans, the Chronicler reassures the post-exilic community that divine order endures despite disruption. Hosah’s name, meaning “refuge,” quietly underscores that the LORD Himself is the true stronghold behind the gatekeepers’ vigilance. Theology of the Gate Gatekeepers mirror the dual biblical themes of welcome and warning. While the temple invites all who seek the LORD (Isaiah 56:7), it excludes unrepentant profanation (2 Chronicles 23:19). Hosah’s charge therefore prefigures Christ, the “door of the sheep” (John 10:7), through whom access to God is gracious yet guarded. Lessons for Contemporary Ministry 1. Spiritual discernment outranks birth order or social status (1 Chronicles 26:10). Related Themes Sanctuary holiness (Leviticus 10:3); generational calling (Deuteronomy 6:6-7); Christ as the ultimate gate (John 10:9). Forms and Transliterations וְחֹסָ֖ה וּלְחֹסָ֥ה וּלְחֹסָה֙ וחסה ולחסה חֹסָ֔ה חסה לְחֹסָ֖ה לחסה choSah ḥō·sāh ḥōsāh lə·ḥō·sāh lechoSah ləḥōsāh ū·lə·ḥō·sāh ulechoSah ūləḥōsāh vechoSah wə·ḥō·sāh wəḥōsāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 19:29 HEB: וְשָׁ֤ב הַגְּבוּל֙ חֹסָ֔ה [וְיִהְיוּ כ] NAS: turned to Hosah, and it ended KJV: turneth to Hosah; and the outgoings INT: turned the border to Hosah become and the outgoings 1 Chronicles 16:38 1 Chronicles 26:10 1 Chronicles 26:11 1 Chronicles 26:16 5 Occurrences |
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