חֲצַרְמָוֶת
𐤇𐤑𐤓𐤌𐤅𐤕
Chatsaremavet
H2700 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun designating a geographic location, most likely an early South Arabian territory or district; "Hazarmaveth." The name composed of two elements: 'enclosure' (ḥaṣar) and 'death' (mâveth), thus likely meaning 'enclosure of death' or 'court of death,' but used in context as a place name rather than with a descriptive or appellative sense. The term appears as the name of a descendant of Joktan, and by extension, the eponymous ancestor of a people or territory in southern Arabia.
Semantic Range
proper name of a region or tribe; Hazarmaveth/Hadramawt; literal components: enclosure/court of death; place-name in genealogical lists; possible geographic and ethnic referent in southern Arabia
Root / Etymology
From root חצר (ḥaṣar, 'enclosure, village, settlement, courtyard') and מוות (mâveth, 'death'). The name is a compound: חצר־מות (ḥaṣar-mâveth), literally 'enclosure of death,' but as a proper noun, the precise meaning is idiomatic and may reference a place-name known in antiquity, rather than a descriptive phrase. Root-level meaning does not determine the proper-noun sense.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חֲצַרְמָוֶת appears only in genealogical contexts (Genesis 10:26 = 1 Chronicles 1:20) as one of the sons of Joktan, an ancestor of several South Arabian tribes or regions. The name is understood by most scholars as pointing to an ancient toponym, which is likely identified with the region known in South Arabian inscriptions as "Hadramaut" or modern Hadramawt in Yemen. The literal meaning ('enclosure/court of death') is a formal etymology and not likely intended as a description of the place or its inhabitants. Later biblical translations (LXX, Vulgate) essentially transliterate the name. English versions sometimes use "Hazarmaveth"; in antiquity and in historical records, the region was renowned for its incense trade. While Strong's gloss emphasizes the literal sense, the prevailing scholarly practice is to treat this as a toponym of uncertain etymological motivation. The use of 'village' in older lexicons is potentially misleading, as חצר conveys a range of meanings from courtyard to walled settlement, but its proper noun use here is specific. No evidence suggests any religious or symbolic association with 'death' in this proper name beyond the compositional element.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חָצֵר and מָוֶת; village of death; Chatsarmaveth, a place in Arabia; Hazarmaveth.
Bantu Hebrew
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חצר־מות (ḥ-ṣ-r / m-w-t) — enclosure, settlement, court; death
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2700-01 |
חֲצַרְמָ֖וֶת | chatsaremavet | HNp |
Hazarmaveth | Hazarmaveth | Chatsaremavet | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2700-01 |
Genesis 10:26 | חֲצַרְמָ֖וֶת | chatsaremavet | HNp |
Hazarmaveth | Hazarmaveth | Chatsaremavet |
H2700-01 |
1 Chronicles 1:20 | חֲצַרְמָ֖וֶת | chatsaremavet | HNp |
Hazarmaveth | Hazarmaveth | Chatsaremavet |