Lexical Summary Gath-hachepher: Gath-hepher Original Word: גִּת־הַחֵפֶר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Gath-kephr, Gittah-kephr Or (abridged) Gittah-Chepher {ghit-taw-khay'-fer}; from gath and chaphar with the article inserted; wine- press of (the) well; Gath-Chepher, a place in Palestine -- Gath-kephr, Gittah-kephr. see HEBREW chaphar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom gath and chaphar Definition "wine press of digging," home of Jonah NASB Translation Gath-hepher (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs גַּת הַחֵ֫פֶר 2 Kings 14:25 (wine-press of digging home of Jonah, prophet; גִּתָּ֖הֿ חֵ֫פֶר Joshua 19:13, perhaps modern El-Meshhed, approximately 3 miles east of north from Nazareth, RobBR ii. 350 BdPal 252. Topical Lexicon Geographical Setting Gath-hepher lay in the hill country of Lower Galilee, approximately five kilometers northeast of modern Nazareth. The site most commonly identified with the town is the Arab village of el-Meshhad. Situated on a modest rise overlooking fertile valleys, it lay on the eastern edge of the tribal allotment of Zebulun, bordering Issachar and Naphtali. Proximity to major north–south routes gave the village indirect access to commerce while preserving its rural character. Tribal Allocation and Boundary Marker Joshua 19:13 places Gath-hepher on the eastern perimeter of Zebulun’s inheritance: “Then it continued eastward to Gath-hepher and Eth-kazin, extending to Rimmon and turning toward Neah”. Within the conquest narrative, such boundary points verified that the land was divided exactly as the LORD had sworn to the patriarchs. Though small, the town functioned as a legal witness that every promise about Israel’s possession was fulfilled in detail. Prophetic Heritage Gath-hepher’s enduring significance arises from being the hometown of Jonah son of Amittai. 2 Kings 14:25 records, “He restored the borders of Israel … according to the word that the LORD, the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher”. Thus, a village scarcely mentioned elsewhere produced a prophet whose ministry reached far beyond Israel, prefiguring the LORD’s compassion for the nations. Historical Context During the reign of Jeroboam II (circa 793–753 B.C.), Israel experienced territorial expansion and material prosperity (2 Kings 14:23–27). Jonah from Gath-hepher announced this restoration well before it became visible, underlining that political events unfold at Yahweh’s command, not human strategy. The fulfillment of Jonah’s prophecy authenticated him as a true prophet and indirectly honored his hometown. Theological Observations 1. Sovereign choice: By selecting a prophet from an obscure Galilean village, the LORD demonstrated that spiritual authority depends on divine election rather than social prominence. Archaeological Notes Early pilgrims such as Jerome (fourth century A.D.) linked Gath-hepher with a site near Sepphoris. Modern surveys at el-Meshhad have uncovered rock-cut tombs and pottery from Iron Age II, consistent with occupation in Jonah’s day. While definitive proof remains elusive, the continuity of local tradition strengthens the identification. Ministry Applications • God values faithfulness in hidden places; present obscurity does not preclude future influence. Related References Joshua 19:10–16; 2 Kings 14:23–27; Jonah 1:1–3; Matthew 12:39–41; Luke 11:30. Forms and Transliterations הַחֵֽפֶר׃ החפר׃ חֵ֖פֶר חפר Chefer ha·ḥê·p̄er haChefer haḥêp̄er ḥê·p̄er ḥêp̄erLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 19:13 HEB: מִזְרָ֔חָה גִּתָּ֥ה חֵ֖פֶר עִתָּ֣ה קָצִ֑ין NAS: toward the sunrise to Gath-hepher, to Eth-kazin, KJV: on the east to Gittahhepher, to Ittahkazin, INT: eastward the sunrise to Gath-hepher to Eth-kazin proceeded 2 Kings 14:25 2 Occurrences |
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