Lexical Summary chishshuq: Lattice, network, or attachment Original Word: חִשֻּׁק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance felloe From chashaq; conjoined, i.e. A wheel-spoke or rod connecting the hub with the rim -- felloe. see HEBREW chashaq NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chashaq Definition spoke (of a wheel) NASB Translation spokes (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [חִשּׁוּק] noun [masculine] spoke of a wheel (as binding felloe to nave) — plural suffix חִשֻּׁקֵיהֶם 1 Kings 7:33. חשׁר (√ of following; compare Assyrian ašâru, collect gather ZimBP 39. In Arabic, collect is Topical Lexicon Context within Solomon’s TempleStrong’s Hebrew 2839 (חִשֻּׁק) appears once, in the record of the ten bronze stands that Hiram of Tyre cast for Solomon (1 Kings 7: 27-37). Each portable laver rested on four bronze wheels “like chariot wheels,” whose “axles, rims, spokes, and hubs were all of cast metal” (1 Kings 7: 33). The חִשֻּׁק refers to the wheel’s rim or felloe—the encircling band that both held the spokes in place and bore the weight of the laver. Architectural and Practical Significance 1. Structural Integrity. In ancient Near-Eastern wheel-making the felloe was crucial. Fashioned in bronze, the חִשֻּׁק distributed the heavy load of the filled laver (about 180 gallons each) and protected the spokes from shear stress, ensuring mobility without collapse. Symbolic Insights • Completeness and Unity. The unbroken bronze circle visually echoed covenant wholeness. In Scripture, rings often mark permanence (Genesis 41: 42; Esther 3: 10). Each חִשֻּׁק silently affirmed the enduring nature of the priests’ cleansing and Israel’s communion with the LORD. Craftsmanship as Spirit-Empowered Work The detailed mention of rims alongside spokes and hubs highlights the inspired artistry God values. The same Spirit who filled Bezalel (Exodus 31: 3) enabled Hiram’s skill. Excellence in materials and design testified that only the best belongs in God’s house—an enduring principle for any ministry task. Lessons for Contemporary Ministry • Holiness Must Be Mobile. Cleansing is not confined to a single place; servants of Christ carry God’s sanctifying presence wherever He leads. Related Motifs Circle / Ring – Covenant continuity (Genesis 9: 13). Wheel – Divine activity (Daniel 7: 9). Bronze – Strength and judgment (Deuteronomy 33: 25). Summary Though mentioned only once, חִשֻּׁק illustrates how even the smallest architectural detail can preach. The bronze rim around a temple wheel speaks of God’s unbroken covenant, the strength that upholds purification, and the need for holy readiness. In every generation, faithful servants are called to craft their lives and ministries with the same integrity, beauty, and purpose. Forms and Transliterations וְחִשֻּׁקֵיהֶ֛ם וחשקיהם vechishshukeiHem wə·ḥiš·šu·qê·hem wəḥiššuqêhemLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 7:33 HEB: יְדוֹתָ֣ם וְגַבֵּיהֶ֗ם וְחִשֻּׁקֵיהֶ֛ם וְחִשֻּׁרֵיהֶ֖ם הַכֹּ֥ל NAS: their rims, their spokes, and their hubs KJV: and their naves, and their felloes, and their spokes, INT: their axles their rims their spokes and their hubs all 1 Occurrence |
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