Ophni

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Oph'ni. (mouldy). A town of Benjamin, mentioned in Joshua 18:24, the same as the Gophna, of Josephus; a place which, at the time of Vespasian's invasion, was apparently so important as to be second only to Jerusalem. It still survives in the modern Jifna or Jufna, 23 miles northwest of Bethel.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

A town in the N.E. of Benjamin (Joshua 18:24.). Possibly founded by a non Israelite tribe. The Gophna of Josephus, said to be only second in importance to Jerusalem (B.J. 3:3, section 5; Ant. 14:11, section 2, 12:2). Now Jufna, 2 1/2 miles N.W. of Bethel.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

A city of Benjamin, (Joshua 18:24) perhaps from Gophni, weary.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

City in Benjamin. Joshua 18:24 . Identified by some with Jufna, 31 58' N, 35 13' E .

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

OPHNI. A town of Benjamin ( Joshua 18:24 ); unknown.

Holman Bible Dictionary

Joshua 18:24

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Joshua 18:24

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Ophni', עָפְנַי [always with the art. הָעָפְנַי, ha-Ophni', q. d. the Ophnite], perh. pressure, famisne [comp. כָּפִן ]; Sept. Ἀφνί, but most MSS. omit; Yulg. — 9 hni), a town in the north-eastern section of the tribe of Benjamin, named only in Joshua 18:24, between Chephar- haammonai and Gaba (q.v.). "Its name may perhaps imply that, like others of the towns of this: region, it was originally founded by some non- Israelitish tribe — the Ophnites — who in that case have left but this one slight trace of their existence" (Smith). It was probably the Gufzith (גופנית ), Gufna, or Beth-gufnin of the Talmud (Schwarz, p. 126), and doubtless the Gophna of Josephus (Γοφνά Ptolemy, Γούφνα 4:16), a place which at the time of Vespasian's invasion was apparently so important as to be second only to Jerusalem (War, 3:3, 5), as the center of a district or toparchy (Ant. 14:11, 2). It was fifteen Roman miles from Jerusalem on the way to Neapolis (Eusebius, ‘Onomast. s.v. φάραγξ βότρυος ). The place still survives in the modern Jifha or Jihna, two and a half miles north-west of Bethel (Reland, Palaest. p. 816; Wilson, Lands of the Bible, 2:41). The change from the Ain, with which Ophlni begins, to G, is common enough in the Sept. (comp. Gomorrah, Athaliah, etc.). It is now a poor village, in a fertile valley between high hills, and contains about 200 Christian inhabitants (Robinson, Bib. Res. 3:79). Remains of an old Greek church still exist there, especially a baptistery; End traces may be seen of the Roman road leading through the town from Jerusalem to Antipatris (ib. 2:138).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

of´nı̄ ( העפני , hā - ‛ophnı̄  ; Ἀφνή , Aphnḗ ): A place in the territory of Benjamin ( Joshua 18:24 ). The modern Jifneh , in a fine vale West of the road to Nāblus and 2 1/2 miles Northwest of Bethel, might suit as to position; but the change in the initial letter from ‛ain to jı̄m is not easy. This is the Gophna of the rabbis (compare Josephus, Jewish Wars , III, iii, 5).