Hepher

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

HEPHER. 1. Son of Gilead the Manassite, and father of Zelophehad,   Numbers 26:32;   Numbers 27:1 ,   Joshua 17:2 f. (P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] ). Patronymic, Hepherites (  Numbers 26:32 ). 2. One of the tribe of Judah (  1 Chronicles 4:6 ). 3. A Mecherathite, one of David’s beroes (  1 Chronicles 11:36 ). 4. A Canaanite royal city, named immediately before Aphek (  Joshua 12:17 ). The site is uncertain. The land of Hepher is mentioned in   1 Kings 4:10 along with Socoh.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

He'pher. (A Well).

1. The youngest of the sons of Gilead,  Numbers 26:32, and head of the family of the Hepherites. (B.C. Before 1450).

2. Son of Ashur, the "father of Tekoa."  1 Chronicles 4:6. (B.C. About 1445).

3. The Mecherathite, one of the heroes of David's guard.  1 Chronicles 11:36. (B.C. 1046).

4. A place in ancient Canaan, which occurs in the lists of conquered kings.  Joshua 12:17. It was on the west of Jordan. Compare  Joshua 12:7 and  1 Kings 4:10.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

1.  Numbers 26:32-33;  Numbers 27:1.

2.  1 Chronicles 4:5-6.

3.  1 Chronicles 11:36; not in the catalogue  2 Samuel 23:34, etc.

4. A place in ancient Canaan, whose king was conquered by Israel ( Joshua 12:17), W. of Jordan; so Solomon's commissariat district ( 1 Kings 4:10), named with Socoh. Distinct from Gath-Hepher in Zebulun.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. Youngest son of Gilead, and head of the family of the HEPHERITES. Numbers 26:32;  Numbers 27:1;  Joshua 17:2,3 .

2. Son of Ashur and Naarah, of the tribe of Judah.  1 Chronicles 4:6 .

3. The Mecherathite, one of David's mighty men.  1 Chronicles 11:36 .

4. City and district, taken by Joshua.  Joshua 12:17;  1 Kings 4:10 . Not identified.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

One of David's heroes ( 1 Chronicles 11:36 ).

Copyright Statement These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., DD Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography Information Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Hepher'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/h/hepher.html. 1897.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Numbers 26:28-37 Joshua 17:1-2 2 1 Chronicles 11:36 3 1 Chronicles 4:6

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Che'pher, חֵפֶר , a Well, or Shame; Sept. ῎Οφέρ or ῎Οφέρ , ῎Εφερ and Ἀφέρ , but ᾿Ηφάλ in  1 Chronicles 1:6), the name of a city and of three men. (See Gath-Hepher).

1. A royal city of the Canaanites captured by Joshua ( Joshua 12:17); probably the same district as "the land of Hepher," in the vicinity of Sochoh and Aruboth, assigned to Ben-Hesed, one of Solomon's table- purveyors ( 1 Kings 4:10). The locality thus indicated would seem to be in the vicinity of Um-Burj, south of Suweicheh.

2. The youngest son of Gilead, and great-grandson of Manasseh ( Numbers 26:32). He was the father of Zelophehad ( Numbers 27:1;  Joshua 17:2-3), and his descendants are called HEPHERITES ( Numbers 26:32). B.C. ante 1618.

3. The second son of Ashur (a descendant of Judah) by one of his wives, Naarah ( 1 Chronicles 4:6). B.C. cir. 1612.

4. A Mecherathite, one of David's heroes, according to  1 Chronicles 11:36; but the text is apparently corrupt, so that this name is either an interpolation, or identical with the Eliphalet of  2 Samuel 23:34. See UR.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

( חפר , ḥēpher ):

(1) Septuagint Ὅφερ , Hópher (  Joshua 12:17 ), a Canaanitish town mentioned between Tappuah and Aphek, unidentified.

(2) In  1 Kings 4:10 a district connected with Socoh, and placed by Solomon under the direction of Benhesed of Arubboth, unidentified.