Original Word: חֲשׂוּפָא
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Chasuwpha'
Pronunciation: khä-soo-fä'
Phonetic Spelling: (khas-oo-faw')
KJV: Hashupha, Hasupha
NASB: Hasupha
Word Origin: [from H2834 (חָשַׂף - bared)]

1. nakedness
2. Chasupha, one of the Nethinim

Hashupha, Hasupha

Or Chasuphao {khas-oo-faw'}; from chasaph; nakedness; Chasupha, one of the Nethinim -- Hashupha, Hasupha.

see HEBREW chasaph

Word Origin
from chasaph
Definition
an Isr.
NASB Translation
Hasupha (2).

חֲשׂוּפָא, חֲשֻׁפָא proper name, masculine head of a family of Nethinim among the returning exiles חֲשׂוּפָא Ezra 2:43 = חֲשֻׂפָא Nehemiah 7:46.

Occurrences

Ezra 2:43 and Nehemiah 7:46 list “the sons of Hasupha”, one of the families counted among the Nethinim who returned from Babylonian exile with Zerubbabel and later are confirmed in Nehemiah’s census. Outside these two genealogical records the name does not occur in Scripture.

Historical context

The Nethinim (literally “the given ones”) were a hereditary order of temple servants whose origin likely traces back to the Gibeonites consigned to sanctuary tasks in Joshua 9:27. By the post-exilic era they had become essential assistants to the Levites, performing labor that enabled Israel’s priests to focus on sacrificial and liturgical duties. The family of Hasupha stood within the third grouping of returnees (Ezra 2), following priests and Levites but preceding those identified merely as “the rest of the people.” Their inclusion in the official lists testifies to both their covenant identity and their recognized role in the restoration of worship at the second temple.

Meaning of the name

Most scholars translate the root idea as “stripped” or “laid bare,” suggesting imagery of vulnerability or openness. Though Scripture never draws an explicit theological point from the name, its resonance fits the humble station of the Nethinim—servants who stood “uncovered” before God, devoted to tasks others might deem menial yet indispensable to holy worship.

The Nethinim and temple service

1. Continuity of worship: After seven decades of exile, Israel’s returnees lacked a fully functioning priestly infrastructure. Families like Hasupha became frontline laborers restoring daily offerings, water supply, wood-cutting, gatekeeping, and other practical needs of temple life (compare Nehemiah 10:28–32; 11:19–21).
2. Covenant inclusion: Although not Levites by blood, the Nethinim received assigned quarters in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:26) and “purified themselves” alongside priests and Levites (Ezra 6:20). Their presence underscores that covenant privilege is grounded in grace and service, not merely pedigree.
3. Prophetic fulfillment: Isaiah foretold foreigners joining Israel’s priestly work (Isaiah 56:6–7). The documented return of the Nethinim, including Hasupha’s descendants, foreshadows the broader ingathering of servants from every nation in Messiah’s kingdom.

Theological and ministry insights

• God remembers the obscure. Only two brief verses mention Hasupha, yet the family’s name is forever inscribed in Scripture, illustrating how the Lord honors even hidden labor done for His glory (Hebrews 6:10).
• Servant leadership. The Hasupha clan models a ministry ethos later exemplified by Jesus Christ, who “took the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:7).
• Shared responsibility in worship. Effective ministry requires both visible and behind-the-scenes workers. Just as Hasupha’s descendants enabled sacrifices to resume, modern believers support corporate worship through unseen sacrifice of time, resources, and skill.
• Restoration after exile. The lists of Ezra and Nehemiah verify God’s faithfulness to preserve a worshiping remnant. The return of Hasupha’s family reinforces the promise that discipline is restorative, not merely punitive (Jeremiah 30:11).

Lessons for today

1. No act of service is too small when offered to God.
2. Heritage of faithfulness can outlive personal renown; a family known only for humble tasks helped re-establish the center of divine presence on earth.
3. Churches should cultivate gratitude and recognition for volunteer ministries that parallel the Nethinim’s labor.
4. Personal identity in Christ supersedes social status; those once “outsiders” can become pillars in God’s house (Ephesians 2:19).

In every generation, the legacy represented by Hasupha—quiet, faithful, generational service—advances God’s redemptive plan and magnifies the truth that “each member belongs to all the others” (Romans 12:5).

חֲשֻׂפָ֖א חֲשׂוּפָ֖א חשופא חשפא chasuFa ḥă·śu·p̄ā ḥă·śū·p̄ā ḥăśup̄ā ḥăśūp̄āInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts