Lexical Summary Tsaphon: Zaphon Original Word: צָפוֹן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Zaphon The same as tsaphown; boreal; Tsaphon, a place in Palestine -- Zaphon. see HEBREW tsaphown NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom tsaphan Definition "north," a place on the E. bank of the Jordan NASB Translation Zaphon (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. צָפוֺן proper name, of a location on east bank of Jordan, in tribe of Gad, ׳צ Joshua 13:27 (Σαφαν[ων]), צָפ֫וֺנָה Judges 12:1 (βοῤρἇν, ᵐ5L Σεφηνα); according to Talmud = modern Amateh, north of Jabbok, GFM BuhlGeogr. 259 (who doubts); ‚apuna appears Tel Amarna WklNo. 174. Topical Lexicon Name and MeaningZaphon (צָפוֹן, Strong’s 6829) functions as a proper place-name. Because the same consonants form the Hebrew word for “north,” and a verb meaning “to hide,” the town’s name carries overtones of both direction and concealment. Geographical Setting Located in “the valley of the Jordan” east of the river (Joshua 13:27), Zaphon lay between Succoth and the northern end of the Dead Sea, in the lush Ghôr that yielded rich pasture for Gad’s herds. Suggested identifications include Tell el-Qos and Tell es-Saʿidiyeh, both near the mouth of the Jabbok (Zarqa) River. The site sat astride major trade arteries and river crossings that linked the Trans-jordanian highlands with Galilee and the coastal plain. Historical Context 1. Conquest and Allotment Moses granted Gad the former Amorite territory after the tribe promised to fight alongside the western tribes (Numbers 32; Joshua 1:12-15). Zaphon’s inclusion in Gad’s list displays the meticulous fulfillment of God’s pledge to Israel’s fathers. 2. Frontier Defense Because armies and caravans from the north customarily descended through the Jordan Valley, Zaphon helped shield Israel’s heartland. Its strategic pair-city, Succoth, is recalled in Gideon’s pursuit of Midian (Judges 8:5-17), implying that Zaphon shared in the military and logistical significance of the region. 3. Extra-Biblical Echoes Hellenistic sources describe a fortified Amathus in this district. Amathus experienced repeated conflicts between the Hasmoneans and the Nabataeans, suggesting Zaphon’s site remained important centuries after Joshua. Theological and Ministry Significance 1. Divine Precision The single reference to Zaphon underscores how the Lord apportioned the land “tribe by tribe” (Ezekiel 47:21). No acre, family, or believer is overlooked. 2. The Northern Motif Prophets often present judgment or deliverance “from the north” (Jeremiah 1:14; Isaiah 41:25). A town whose very name means “north” stands as a concrete reminder that God rules the compass and turns threats into testimonies of His sovereignty. 3. Hidden Yet Secure If the root nuance “hidden” is heard, Zaphon pictures the believer’s life “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Obscure places and people are still inscribed in the covenant. 4. Trans-Jordan Solidarity Zaphon proves that those living outside the land’s geographic center remained part of its spiritual core. Their faithfulness in battle secured their peaceful inheritance, modeling cooperative ministry despite physical distance. Key Passage Joshua 13:27: “and in the valley: Beth-aram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon—the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon; the Jordan was its border as far as the northern tip of the Sea of Chinnereth, on the east side of the Jordan.” Lessons for Today • God’s promises embrace the small and the seemingly hidden. Forms and Transliterations וְצָפ֗וֹן וצפון vetzaFonLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Joshua 13:27 HEB: נִמְרָ֜ה וְסֻכּ֣וֹת וְצָפ֗וֹן יֶ֚תֶר מַמְלְכ֗וּת NAS: and Succoth and Zaphon, the rest KJV: and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest INT: and Beth-nimrah and Succoth and Zaphon the rest of the kingdom 1 Occurrence |
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