Lexical Definition

‎חֵפֶר‎ Chêpher (khay'-fer) Hepher ^N:N-M-P
from ‎חָפַר‎ or ‎חָפֵר‎; a pit of shame

Hepher.

• § Hepher = "a well"
• Chepher, a place in Palestine
• also the name of three Israelites

n pr m
1) youngest son of Gilead and head of the family of Hepherites
2) son of Asher, the father of Tekoa
3) the Mecherathite, one of David's mighty warriors
n pr loc
4) a place in ancient Canaan, west of the Jordan, conquered by Joshua site unknown
4a) a place in Judah, probably the same as 4 above

Extended Information

• a place in ancient Canaan, west of the Jordan, conquered by Joshua

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. ‎חֵ֫פֶר‎

proper name, masculine 1. a Manassite Num 26:32; Num 26:33; Num 27:1; Josh 17:2; Josh 17:3, ᵐ5 Οφερ.

2. a man of Judah 1Chr 4:6 ᵐ5 Ηφαλ, ᵐ5^L Αφερ.

3. one of David's heroes, according to 1Chr 11:36 (but on text see Be VB and Dr 2Sam 23:36).

II. ‎חֵ֫פֶר‎

proper name, of a location 1. Canaanitish town, with a king, named just before Aphek Josh 12:17, exact site unknown.

2. 1Kgs 4:10 in Judah (‎׳‎‎ארץ ח‎); — on ‎׳‎‎גִּ֫תָּה ח‎ Josh 19:13, ‎׳‎‎גַּת הַח‎ 2Kgs 14:25, see ‎גַּת‎ below ‎יגן‎.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Book	Refs
Numbers	26:32 · 26:33 · 27:1
Joshua	12:17 · 17:2 · 17:3 · 19:13
2 Samuel	23:36
1 Kings	4:10
2 Kings	14:25
1 Chronicles	4:6 · 11:36

Profile

Hepher • A Canaanite city conquered by Joshua; later a Solomonic district.

Hepher was a Canaanite city conquered by Joshua and later became part of a district under Solomon's rule.

• A location first mentioned at Jos.12.17;
• only referred to as Hepher חֵפֶר.
  

Hepher was a Canaanite city mentioned in the Old Testament. It first appears in Joshua 12:17 as one of the cities conquered by Joshua and the Israelites during their campaign to take possession of the Promised Land. The city was ruled by a king, who was defeated along with other Canaanite rulers.

The exact location of Hepher is not specified in the Bible, but it was likely situated in the northern part of Canaan, as it is listed among other cities in that region, such as Tappuah and Aphek.

Hepher is mentioned again in 1 Kings 4:10, where it is described as part of a district under Solomon's rule. The passage lists the twelve officers who were appointed to provide food for King Solomon and his household, each responsible for a specific region. The district that included Hepher was overseen by the son of Hesed.

The fact that Hepher was a city with its own king during the time of Joshua and later became part of a district under Solomon's rule suggests that it was a place of some significance. However, the Bible does not provide any further details about the city's history, size, or importance.

The mention of Hepher in the biblical text serves to highlight the extent of the Israelites' conquest of Canaan under Joshua's leadership and the later organization of the kingdom under Solomon's reign. It also demonstrates the fulfillment of God's promise to give the land of Canaan to the Israelites as an inheritance.

All entries for Hepher: חֵפֶר