🔼The name Husham: Summary
- Meaning
- [Very] Hastily
- Etymology
- From the verb חוש (hush), to hurry or hasten.
🔼The name Husham in the Bible
There's only one man in the Bible with the name Husham. He was originally from the land of the Temanites, but succeeded Jobab as king of Edom, and was himself succeeded by Hadad. In Genesis 36:34-35 his name is spelled חשם and in 1 Chronicles 1:45-46 it's spelled חושם.
🔼Etymology of the name Husham
The name Husham comes from the root group חוש (hush):
חשש
The verb חשש (hashash) means to hurry, or rather to be light-footed and hence quickly moved. Noun חשש (hashash) describes chaff, which proverbially is so light that a breath of wind carries it off swiftly.
Likewise, verb חוש (hush) means to hurry or hasten. Adverb חיש (hish) means quickly.
This verb חוש (hush) may also be used to mean to be agitated, worried or enjoyed. Although some dictionaries demand that this concerns a second, identical verb, it probably isn't and simply describes the situation that arises when people are "inspired" by either joy or fear, break composure and ride their emotions like chaff does wind.
Where the letter מ (mem) comes from isn't clear, but it might be a remnant of a plural or emphatic form ("very") or even a third person personal pronoun ("their").
🔼Husham meaning
For a meaning of the name Husham, NOBSE Study Bible Name List reads Hastily and Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names has Great Haste. BDB Theological Dictionary does not interpret this name but does list it under the verb חוש (hush).