Lexical Summary Sarepta: Sarepta Original Word: Σαρεπτά Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Sarepta. Of Hebrew origin (Tsarphath); Sarepta (i.e. Tsarephath), a place in Palestine -- Sarepta. see HEBREW Tsarphath NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof Hebrew origin Tsarephath Definition Sarepta, a city near Sidon NASB Translation Zarephath (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4558: ΣάρεπταΣάρεπτα (Tr marginal reading Σαρεφθα; Tdf. in O. T. Σάρεπτα), (צָרְפַת from צָרַף, to smelt; hence, perhaps 'smelting-house'), Σαρεπτων (yet cf. Buttmann, 15 (14); but declined in Obad.), τά; Sarepta (so A. V.; better with O. T. Zarephath) a Phoenician town between Tyre and Sidon, but nearer Sidon (now Surafend; cf. B. D., under the word Topical Lexicon Name and Location Sarepta (Greek Σάρεπτα) is the Hellenized form of the Old Testament town Zarephath, situated on the Phoenician coastline between Sidon and Tyre, approximately fourteen kilometers south of Sidon. Modern Sarafand preserves the ancient name. The settlement occupied a strategic maritime position on the Via Maris and was known in antiquity for the refining of metals and the production of purple dye, activities attested by archaeological remains of furnaces, workshops, and storerooms. Old Testament Background Zarephath emerges prominently in the ministry of the prophet Elijah during the severe drought under King Ahab. Following God’s directive, Elijah journeyed north from the Brook Cherith to the Gentile region: “Get up and go to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you” (1 Kings 17:9). The ensuing narrative (1 Kings 17:10-24) records two miracles: the inexhaustible jar of flour and jug of oil, and the raising of the widow’s son. These signs testified to the living God’s sovereignty beyond Israel’s borders and foreshadowed His redemptive concern for the nations. New Testament Usage The single New Testament occurrence appears in the synagogue address at Nazareth: “I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut for three years and six months and a great famine swept over all the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon” (Luke 4:25-26). By invoking Sarepta, Jesus confronts His hometown’s unbelief, contrasting it with the receptive faith of a Gentile widow. The reference underscores two key truths: divine prerogative in choosing vessels of mercy and the inclusive scope of the gospel. Theological Themes 1. Divine Provision in Extremity – Both Testaments unite in portraying God’s faithfulness to sustain His servants and humble believers during famine and want (cf. Psalm 37:19; Philippians 4:19). Christological Implications Jesus’ citation of Sarepta in Luke 4 foreshadows His broader Galilean and Gentile ministry. The Nazareth incident serves as a prophetic sign of Israel’s mixed response and the subsequent turning of the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46). Sarepta thus becomes a narrative link between Elijah’s office and the Messiah’s fulfillment of prophetic patterns (Malachi 4:5-6; Luke 1:17). Ministry Application • Encourage believers to trust God’s provision when resources dwindle, remembering the jar of flour that did not run dry. Archaeological and Historical Notes Excavations at Sarafand have uncovered Iron Age pottery, winepresses, and evidence of metallurgical activity matching biblical descriptions of smelting (“refining,” the root meaning of Zarephath). Phoenician inscriptions confirm sustained occupation through the Persian and Hellenistic periods, validating the town’s prominence in the era of Elijah and the first century. See Also 1 Kings 17; Luke 4; Sidon; Elijah; Widow; Gentile Inclusion Forms and Transliterations Σαρεπτα Σάρεπτα Sarepta SáreptaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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