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 near Mount Hermon

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

Valley of Mizpeh • A region near Mount Hermon

The Valley of Mizpeh (Mizpah), a region near Mount Hermon where Joshua defeated the kings of the northern Canaanite coalition (Joshua 11:3, 8).

• A location first mentioned at Jos.11.8;
• referred to as Mizpeh_Valley מִצְפָּה, or Valley/ of Mizpeh מִצְפֶּה בִּקְעָה.
  

The Valley of Mizpeh, also known as Mizpah, is mentioned in Joshua 11:3 and 11:8 as a region near Mount Hermon in the northern part of Canaan. It was inhabited by the Hivites, one of the Canaanite tribes. The Canaanite kings of the region, including Jabin king of Hazor, gathered their forces in the Valley of Mizpeh to fight against Joshua and the Israelites. Joshua, following God's command, launched a surprise attack against the Canaanite coalition and decisively defeated them, pursuing them as far as Great Sidon and the Valley of Mizpeh to the east (Joshua 11:8). The exact location of the Valley of Mizpeh is not certain, but it is believed to be in the vicinity of Mount Hermon, possibly in the Beqaa Valley or the Huleh Valley.

All entries for Mizpeh Valley or Mizpah: מִצְפָּה ☩ מִצְפֶּה