Lexical Definition
עׇפְרָה ʻOphrâh (of-raw') Ophrah N:N--L
feminine of עֹפֶר; female fawn
Ophrah.
- § Ophrah = "fawn"
- Ophrah, the name of an Israelite and of two places in Palestine
n pr m
1) a Judaite, son of Meonothai
n pr loc
2) a town of Benjamin approximately 5 miles (8 km) east of Bethel
3) a place in Manasseh, native place of Gideon; probably located close to Shechem
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| עָפְרָ֖ה | Ophrah | 1Sam.13.17 |
| וְעָפְרָֽה | and Ophrah | Josh.18.23 |
Extended Information
- Ophrah = "fawn"
- a town of Benjamin approximately 5 miles (8 km) east of Bethel
- Also named: bet le.aph.rah (בֵּית לְעַפְרָה "Beth-le-aphrah" בֵּית לְעַפְרָה)
Brown-Driver-Briggs
עָפְרָה proper name
1. location: a. in Benjamin Josh 18:23 (P), Αφαρ, etc.; 1Sam 13:7 Γοφερα; probably = עֶפְרוֺן 2 and אֶפְרַיִם 6; perhaps modern e‰-ˆayyibeh, approximately 4 miles northeast from Bethel, compare GASmGeogr. 252 BuhlGeogr. 177.
b. in Manasseh, Εφραθα: Judg 6:11; Judg 8:27 construct עָפְרַת אֲבִי הָעֶזְרִי Judg 6:24, but ׳עָפְרָה וגו Judg 8:32 with ה locative עָפְרָ֫תָה Judg 9:5.
2. person, masculine in Judah 1Chr 4:14, Γοφερα, ᵐ5L Εφραθ.
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Joshua | 18:23 |
| Judges | 6:11 · 6:24 · 8:27 · 8:32 · 9:5 |
| 1 Samuel | 13:7 |
| 1 Chronicles | 4:14 |
Profile
Ophrah_1 • A town in Benjamin and a place in Manasseh
Ophrah was a town in Benjamin and a place in Manasseh, associated with Gideon and mentioned in a prophecy of Micah.
- A location first mentioned at Jos.18.23;
- referred to as Ophrah עׇפְרָה, or Beth-le-aphrah (KJV= "house of Aphrah," NIV= Beth Ophrah) בֵּית לְעַפְרָה.
There are two places named Ophrah mentioned in the Bible:
Ophrah of Benjamin: This Ophrah was a town located in the territory of Benjamin (Josh. 18:23). It is listed among the towns allotted to the tribe during the division of the Promised Land. No further details about this Ophrah are provided in the Bible.
Ophrah of Manasseh: This Ophrah was a place associated with Gideon, one of the judges of Israel. It was the hometown of Gideon and the site where he built an altar to the Lord and destroyed the altar of Baal (Judg. 6:11, 24). Gideon's son, Abimelech, was born in Ophrah (Judg. 8:31). The Philistines raided Ophrah during the time of Saul (1 Sam. 13:17). The prophet Micah mentions an Ophrah in his prophecy, possibly referring to this location, using the name Beth-le-aphrah (Mic. 1:10). The exact location of this Ophrah is uncertain, but it was likely situated in the region of Manasseh, west of the Jordan River.
All entries for Ophrah or Beth-le-aphrah: עׇפְרָה ☩ בֵּית לְעַפְרָה