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).