Lexical Definition

‎מִצְפָּה‎ Mitspâh (mits-paw') Mizpah ^N:N--L
feminine of ‎מִצְפֶּה‎

Mitspah. (This seems rather to be only an orthographic variation of ‎מִצְפֶּה‎ when 'in pause'.)

• § Mizpah = "watchtower"
• Mitspah, the name of two places in Palestine

1) a place in Gilead north of Jabbok and location of Laban's cairn
2) a place in Gilead south of Jabbok; site unknown
3) a place near Mount Hermon
4) an old sacred place in Benjamin

Extended Information

• a place in Gilead south of Jabbok

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎מִצְפָּה‎₃₈ proper name, of a location (properly outlook-point or -height; with article (exceptHos Josh 5:1)); —

1. in Gilead, explanation as name given to Laban's cairn, north of Jabbok Gen 31:49 (on text see Ball Holz; ᵐ5 ἡ ὅρασις).

2. probably south of Jabbok, Judg 10:17 (ἡ σκοπιά), Judg 11:11; Judg 11:34 (Μασσηφα; so ᵐ5^L Judg 10:17), Hos 5:1 (ἡ σκοπιά); apparently = II. ‎מִצְפֶּה‎ 3, Buhl^{Geogr. 262} (‎פֶּה‎-, ‎פָּה‎-, seem to interchange); site unknown; see conjectures in Buhl^l.c., compare GASm^{Geogr. 586.} 3. near Hermon, ‎׳‎‎אֶרֶץ הַמּ‎ Josh 11:3, Μασευμαν, Μασσηφα(θ), = ‎בִּקְעַתמִֿצְפֶּה‎ vJosh 11:8, Μασσωχ, Μασσηφα; see Buhl^{Geogr. 240.}

4. old sacred place in Benjamin, Μασσηφα, etc.; — ‎׳‎‎הַמּ‎ Judg 20:1 +, ‎הַמִּצְפָּ֫תָה‎ 1Sam 7:5 +; — Judg 20:1; Judg 20:3; Judg 21:1; Judg 21:5; Judg 21:8; 1Sam 7:5 + 7 t. 1Sam 7; 1Sam 10; 1Kgs 15:22 = 2Chr 16:6; 2Kgs 25:23; 2Kgs 25:25; Jer 40:10 + 12 t. 40, 41; Neh 3:7; Neh 3:15; Neh 3:19 = ‎הַמִּצְפֶּה‎ Josh 18:26 — modern Nabî Samwîl, 5 miles northwest of Jerusalem, see Buhl^{Geogr. 167 f.}.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Mizpah_3 • A city in Benjamin; a place of gathering and judgment

Mizpah (Mizpeh, Ramah, Ramathaim-zophim, Arimathea), a city in Benjamin where the Israelites gathered for judgment and prayer (Judges 20:1, 3; 21:1, 5, 8; 1 Samuel 7:5-7, 11-12, 16; 10:17), and the hometown of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:19; 2:11; 7:17; 8:4; 15:34; 16:13; 19:18-23; 20:1; 25:1; 28:3) and Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:57; Mark 15:43; Luke 23:50-51; John 19:38).

• A location first mentioned at Jdg.20.1;
• referred to as Mizpah or Mizpah (KJV= Mizpeh) מִצְפָּה, or Mizpeh (NIV= Mizpah) מִצְפֶּה, or Ramah רָמָה, or Ramathaim-zophim (NIV= Ramathaim a Zuphite) רָמָתַיִם צוֹפִים, or Arimathea Ἀριμαθαία.
  

Mizpah, also known as Mizpeh, Ramah, Ramathaim-zophim, or Arimathea, was a city located in the tribal territory of Benjamin, near the border with Ephraim. It was an important religious and political center during the period of the judges and the early monarchy.

During the time of the judges, the Israelites gathered at Mizpah to address the crisis involving the tribe of Benjamin and the concubine at Gibeah (Judges 20:1, 3; 21:1, 5, 8). Later, the prophet Samuel summoned the people to Mizpah for prayer, repentance, and deliverance from the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:5-7, 11-12, 16). Samuel also gathered the Israelites at Mizpah to appoint Saul as their first king (1 Samuel 10:17).

Mizpah was the hometown and burial place of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:19; 2:11; 7:17; 8:4; 15:34; 16:13; 19:18-23; 20:1; 25:1; 28:3). It was also the city of Joseph of Arimathea, the wealthy disciple who provided the tomb for Jesus' burial (Matthew 27:57; Mark 15:43; Luke 23:50-51; John 19:38).

During the divided monarchy, King Asa of Judah fortified Mizpah using materials from the dismantled fortifications of Ramah (1 Kings 15:22; 2 Chronicles 16:6). After the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem, Mizpah served as the administrative center for the remnant of Judah under Gedaliah (2 Kings 25:23, 25; Jeremiah 40:6, 8, 10, 12-13, 15; 41:1, 3, 6, 10, 14, 16).

All entries for Mizpah or Mizpeh or Ramah or Ramathaim-zophim or Arimathea: מִצְפָּה ☩ מִצְפֶּה ☩ רָמָה ☩ רָמָתַיִם צוֹפִים ☩ Ἀριμαθαία