Lexical Summary Chepher: Hepher Original Word: חֵפֶר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hepher From chaphar or chapher; a pit of shame; Chepher, a place in Palestine; also the name of three Israelites -- Hepher. see HEBREW chaphar see HEBREW chapher Brown-Driver-Briggs I. חֵ֫פֶר proper name, masculine 1. a Manassite Numbers 26:32,33; Numbers 27:1; Joshua 17:2,3, ᵐ5 Οφερ. 2 a man of Judah 1 Chronicles 4:6; ᵐ5 Ηφαλ, ᵐ5L Αφερ. 3 one of David's heroes, according to 1 Chronicles 11:36 (but on text see Be VB and Dr 2 Samuel 23:36). II. חֵ֫פֶר proper name, of a location 1. Canaanitish town, with a king, named just before Aphek Joshua 12:17, exact site unknown. 2 1 Kings 4:10 in Judah (׳ארץ ח); — on ׳גִּ֫תָּה ח Joshua 19:13, ׳גַּת הַח 2 Kings 14:25, see גַּת below יגן. Topical Lexicon Scope of the Biblical Evidence Nine references identify חֵפֶר as (1) a personal name in several tribal genealogies, (2) a clan within Manasseh, (3) a Canaanite city-state subdued by Joshua, and (4) a district incorporated into Solomon’s administrative system. The breadth of these occurrences situates Hepher in the Patriarchal age (Numbers), the Conquest (Joshua), the United Monarchy (Samuel–Kings; Chronicles), and later genealogical notices, allowing the reader to trace covenant continuity across Israel’s history. The Clan of Hepher in Manasseh Numbers 26:32 introduces Hepher as one of six sons of Gilead, grandson of Manasseh. This clan receives land west of the Jordan (Joshua 17:2), confirming the Lord’s promise that “each tribe of the fathers shall inherit” (compare Numbers 34:13). Within that clan the best-known figure is Zelophehad. His five daughters appear repeatedly (Numbers 26:33; 27:1; Joshua 17:3) and successfully appeal for a legal ruling that secures their father’s name and property. The case became a precedent safeguarding inheritance when male heirs were lacking, demonstrating both the justice of God’s law and its gracious accommodation of those otherwise marginalized. The Hepherite inheritance thus symbolizes fidelity to covenant promises and equitable administration of God-given land. City and Land of Hepher Joshua 12:17 records “the king of Hepher, one,” among the thirty-one Canaanite kings defeated by Joshua. The site is usually placed in the low hill country of western Manasseh, near the later royal district “all the land of Hepher” assigned to Ben-Hesed under Solomon (1 Kings 4:10). That a single clan name could designate both people and place reflects Israel’s practice of naming territories after ancestral heads. The inclusion of Hepher in Solomon’s tax districts shows that, centuries after the conquest, the region remained productive and strategically important, contributing to the centralized administration that enabled national prosperity (1 Kings 4:20–25). Additional Bearers of the Name 1 Chronicles 4:6 mentions a Judahite named Hepher, descended from Ashhur, “father of Tekoa.” Though unrelated to the Manassite clan, this reference illustrates the recurrence of the name across tribal lines and time periods. More striking is “Hepher the Mecherathite” in David’s elite warrior list (1 Chronicles 11:36), a reminder that devotion to the king and to the Lord’s cause transcended tribal origins. His presence among “the mighty men” places the name Hepher alongside exploits of courage and loyalty that secured Israel’s borders before the succession of Solomon. Theological and Ministry Reflections 1. Faithful Transmission of Covenant Promises. From the first census in the wilderness to the settled monarchy, references to Hepher testify that God “remembers His covenant forever” (Psalm 105:8). Each appearance of the clan or land underscores continuity: the same God who apportioned territory in Joshua’s day ensured its productivity in Solomon’s reign. Contemporary Application Forms and Transliterations וְחֵ֕פֶר וחפר חֵ֔פֶר חֵ֖פֶר חֵ֗פֶר חֵ֚פֶר חֵ֤פֶר חֵ֨פֶר חֵֽפֶר׃ חפר חפר׃ Chefer ḥê·p̄er ḥêp̄er veChefer wə·ḥê·p̄er wəḥêp̄erLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 26:32 HEB: מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשְּׁמִידָעִ֑י וְחֵ֕פֶר מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַֽחֶפְרִֽי׃ NAS: of the Shemidaites; and [of] Hepher, the family KJV: of the Shemidaites: and [of] Hepher, the family INT: the family of the Shemidaites and Hepher the family of the Hepherites Numbers 26:33 Numbers 27:1 Joshua 12:17 Joshua 17:2 Joshua 17:3 1 Kings 4:10 1 Chronicles 4:6 1 Chronicles 11:36 9 Occurrences |
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