Original Word: חֲצֵרוֹת
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Chatserowth
Pronunciation: khats-ay-roth'
Phonetic Spelling: (khats-ay-roth')
KJV: Hazeroth
NASB: Hazeroth
Word Origin: [feminine plural of H2691 (חָצֵר - Court)]

1. yards
2. Chatseroth, a place in Israel

Hazeroth

Feminine plural of chatser; yards; Chatseroth, a place in Palestine -- Hazeroth.

see HEBREW chatser

Word Origin
pl. of chatser
Definition
a place in the wilderness
NASB Translation
Hazeroth (6).

חֲצֵרוֺת, חֲצֵרֹת proper name, of a location ᵐ5 Ασηρωθ, a station of Israel in wilderness: חִַצֵרוֺת Numbers 11:35 (twice in verse); Numbers 12:16 = חֲצֵרֹת Numbers 33:17,18; Deuteronomy 1:1.

Hazeroth (Strong’s Hebrew 2698, חֲצֵרוֹת)

Geographical Setting

Hazeroth lay in the northern reaches of the Sinai Peninsula, between the Wilderness of Paran to the north and the Gulf of Aqaba to the south. The plural form of its name (“enclosures” or “settlements”) suggests an oasis-like site with joined courtyards, offering shelter and grazing in a largely arid region. Modern proposals point to the vicinity of ʿAin el-Khudra, roughly forty miles south of Kadesh-barnea, yet no identification is conclusive. Its strategic position made it the natural next stop after Kibroth-hattaavah on Israel’s trek from the shores of the Red Sea toward the highlands east of Canaan.

Occurrences in the Wilderness Journey

1. Numbers 11:35 – “From Kibroth-hattaavah the people moved on to Hazeroth, where they stayed for some time.”
2. Numbers 12:16 – “After that, the people left Hazeroth and camped in the Wilderness of Paran.”
3. Numbers 33:17-18 – The travel log in Numbers 33 twice names Hazeroth as stage fourteen of the exodus itinerary.
4. Deuteronomy 1:1 – Moses’ farewell sermon lists Hazeroth among the key sites that frame Israel’s covenant story.

Key Historical Events

• REST FROM PLAGUE. After judgment fell at Kibroth-hattaavah for the nation’s craving (Numbers 11), Hazeroth became a place of respite where the camp could regroup physically and spiritually.
• REBELLION OF MIRIAM AND AARON. At Hazeroth, jealousy surfaced against Moses’ unique prophetic role (Numbers 12). Miriam’s leprosy and subsequent restoration dramatized God’s defense of His chosen mediator and reinforced the seriousness of challenging divinely appointed leadership.
• TRANSITION TO PARAN. Departing Hazeroth, Israel entered the broader Wilderness of Paran, setting the stage for the spies’ mission and the fateful rejection of the land (Numbers 13-14). Thus Hazeroth marks the threshold between early successes and later failures of faith.

Theological and Ministry Significance

1. God provides ordered pauses. The stop at Hazeroth shows that wilderness seasons include divinely timed intermissions for healing, instruction, and discipline. Pastoral ministry likewise needs scheduled spaces for recovery after crisis.
2. Leadership accountability. Miriam and Aaron’s chastening underscores that even revered leaders answer to God’s standard of humility and service. Congregational health depends on honoring God-ordained authority while maintaining holiness among those who lead.
3. Memory and covenant renewal. Moses’ mention of Hazeroth in Deuteronomy 1:1 transforms geography into theology; place names become anchors for rehearsing God’s faithfulness and Israel’s frailty. Believers today also memorialize decisive spiritual milestones to strengthen obedience.

Archaeological and Extra-Biblical Notes

Although no excavation has decisively proved Hazeroth’s location, the pattern of oasis settlements in north-central Sinai aligns with the biblical itinerary. Early Christian pilgrim maps (e.g., the Madaba mosaic) place “Aserot” south of Paran, preserving the scriptural sequence. The absence of definitive ruins mirrors the transient nature of Israel’s encampment and cautions historians not to impose urban expectations on nomadic settings.

Principles for Contemporary Application

• Schedule rhythms of rest after periods of intense ministry.
• Guard hearts against envy of another’s spiritual gift or calling.
• Use physical places and anniversaries to recount God’s interventions.
• Teach the next generation that small encampments like Hazeroth are as divinely significant as grander moments at Sinai or Jordan; every stop in God’s journey carries purpose.

בַּחֲצֵרֹֽת׃ בַּחֲצֵרֽוֹת׃ בחצרות׃ בחצרת׃ וַחֲצֵרֹ֖ת וחצרת חֲצֵר֑וֹת חצרות מֵחֲצֵר֑וֹת מֵחֲצֵרֹ֑ת מחצרות מחצרת ba·ḥă·ṣê·rō·wṯ ba·ḥă·ṣê·rōṯ bachatzeRot baḥăṣêrōṯ baḥăṣêrōwṯ chatzeRot ḥă·ṣê·rō·wṯ ḥăṣêrōwṯ mê·ḥă·ṣê·rō·wṯ mê·ḥă·ṣê·rōṯ mechatzeRot mêḥăṣêrōṯ mêḥăṣêrōwṯ vachatzeRot wa·ḥă·ṣê·rōṯ waḥăṣêrōṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts