Original Word: חֶצְרוֹן
Part of Speech: proper name, of a location and person; proper name, masculine
Transliteration: Chetsrown
Pronunciation: khets-rone'
Phonetic Spelling: (khets-rone')
KJV: Hezron
NASB: Hezron, Hezron's
Word Origin: [from H2691 (חָצֵר - Court)]

1. court-yard
2. Chetsron, the name of a place in Israel
3. also of two Israelites

Hezron

From chatser; court-yard; Chetsron, the name of a place in Palestine; also of two Israelites -- Hezron.

see HEBREW chatser

Word Origin
from the same as chatser
Definition
two Isr., also two places in Judah
NASB Translation
Hezron (16), Hezron's (1), Kerioth-hezron* (1).

חֶצְרוֺן, חֶצְרֹן proper name, of a location and person (compare Sabean חצֿרן proper name, of a location or tribe Hal^{No. 661} DHM^{ZMG 1883,15}) — 1. proper name, of a location ᵐ5 Ασωρων, Ασερων, Εσρωμ:

a. חֶצְרוֺן Joshua 15:3 place in extreme south of Judah, + אַדָּ֫רָה = חֲצַראַֿדָּר (q. v.) Numbers 34:4.

b. קְרִיּוֺת חֶצְרוֺן הִיא חָצוֺר Joshua 15:25 another town of Judah in south.

2. proper name, masculine ᵐ5 Ασρωμ(ν), Εσρων, etc.:

a. חֶצְרֹן son of Reuben Genesis 46:9; Exodus 6:14; Numbers 26:6 = חֶצְרוֺן 1 Chronicles 5:3.

b. son of Peres and grandson of Judah Genesis 46:12; Numbers 26:21 = חֶצְרוֺן Ruth 4:18,19; 1 Chronicles 2:5,9,18,21,24 (twice in verse); 1 Chronicles 2:25; 1 Chronicles 4:1.

Meaning and Overview

Hezron, “enclosure” or “settlement,” appears eighteen times in the Hebrew Scriptures as both a personal name and a place-name. Its occurrences cluster around three themes: (1) the clan structure of Reuben, (2) the royal and messianic line in Judah, and (3) a southern Judean landmark. These strands weave together to show God’s ordering of Israel’s tribal life and the unfolding of the redemptive promise.

Hezron Son of Reuben

Genesis 46:9 introduces Hezron among “Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi,” the four sons of Reuben who entered Egypt with Jacob. Exodus 6:14 and 1 Chronicles 5:3 repeat the same list, underscoring the continuity of Reuben’s household through the centuries of bondage. In the wilderness census the “Hezronite clan” (Numbers 26:6) is counted separately, revealing that the descendants of this son formed a distinct sub-tribe within Reuben—a marker of God’s preservation of identity even during Israel’s discipline.

Hezron Grandson of Judah

1. Place in Jacob’s Family

Genesis 46:12 recounts that “The sons of Perez were Hezron and Hamul,” making Hezron a great-grandson of Judah. His presence in Goshen ties the messianic tribe firmly to the nation from its inception in Egypt.

2. Line of Ram and the House of David

Ruth 4:18-19 traces the lineage: “Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered Amminadab”. Matthew 1:3 and Luke 3:33 (Greek Ἐσρώμ) carry the same sequence into the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Thus Hezron stands at a key hinge in salvation history: from patriarchal promise to royal fulfillment.

3. Descendants Recorded in 1 Chronicles 2
• Sons: “Jerahmeel, Ram, and Caleb” (1 Chronicles 2:9).
• Later children: At age sixty Hezron married the daughter of Machir of Gilead and fathered Segub (2:21), forming a bridge between Judah and the Joseph tribes.
• Posthumous son: After Hezron died, his widow Abijah bore Ashhur, “the father of Tekoa” (2:24), showing God’s ability to extend legacy beyond the grave.

4. Caleb Son of Hezron

This Caleb (distinct from Caleb son of Jephunneh) becomes father of several Judean clans (2:18-20). Through him Hezron’s family gains footholds in Hebron and Bethlehem, centers of later Davidic activity.

The Hezronites

In Numbers 26 the name designates two separate clan groupings:

• Reuben’s “Hezronite” clan (26:6).
• Judah’s “Hezronite” clan through Perez (26:21).

The census distinguishes them while affirming each tribe’s integrity under the covenant. Both groups receive territory proportionate to their numbers (Joshua 14:4), testifying to equitable distribution under divine command.

Hezron as a Judean Locality

Joshua 15:3 lists Hezron on the southern border of Judah, between Zin and Addar. Verse 25 adds “Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor)” among the towns allotted to the tribe. Situated near the Negev, the site guarded Judah’s approach from the wilderness and linked the tribe to commercial routes. Its dual naming—Hezron and Hazor—may reflect a fortified settlement (“enclosure”) that later expanded (“village-hazor”).

Messianic Significance

By appearing in both Matthew 1 and Luke 3, Hezron anchors the gospel writers’ claim that Jesus fulfills Old Testament expectation. The name forms a quiet but indispensable link in the legal (Matthew) and biological (Luke) ancestries, demonstrating that God’s promises to Abraham and Judah converge in Christ without contradiction.

Ministry Lessons

1. God values families and clans; even obscure names like Hezron are recorded and remembered.
2. Faithful lineage preservation sets a framework for personal discipleship today—heritage matters for future generations.
3. The crossing of tribal lines (Hezron’s marriage into Gilead) teaches that covenant grace transcends human boundaries.
4. Posthumous fruit (Ashhur) encourages believers that labor in the Lord is never in vain, even when its harvest comes after one’s life.

Summary

Hezron’s eighteen appearances portray an ordinary patriarch whose family became extraordinary by divine design—forming clans, marking borders, and carrying the royal seed to David and, ultimately, to the Messiah. His account invites readers to trust the meticulous providence of God who oversees both the grand sweep of redemption and the smallest details of life.

וְחֶצְר֥וֹן וְחֶצְרוֹן֙ וחצרון חֶצְר֖וֹן חֶצְר֗וֹן חֶצְר֛וֹן חֶצְר֣וֹן חֶצְר֥וֹן חֶצְרֽוֹן׃ חֶצְרוֹן֙ חצרון חצרון׃ לְחֶצְרֹ֕ן לחצרן chetzRon ḥeṣ·rō·wn ḥeṣrōwn lə·ḥeṣ·rōn lechetzRon ləḥeṣrōn vechetzRon wə·ḥeṣ·rō·wn wəḥeṣrōwnInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts