← H1661 H1663 →

גַּת־הַחֵפֶר

𐤂𐤕־𐤄𐤇𐤐𐤓

Gat Hachefer

H1662 noun

SILEX Entry

Root גת-חפר to press (wine), to dig, to excavate

Definition

A geographic name meaning 'winepress of Hepher,' referring specifically to a town of Lower Galilee mentioned in the territorial allotments of the tribe of Zebulun. The term designates a place characterized by either a notable winepress associated with a person or clan named Hepher, or possibly a site where a well or pit (chepher) is related to the winepress. The semantic range encompasses use as a place name and occasionally serves in genealogical reference to individuals from the locale.

Semantic Range

winepress of Hepher, place name, origin of a person, site of a winepress or well

Root / Etymology

From two Hebrew nouns: גַּת (gat, 'winepress') and חֵפֶר (hepher, likely from the root חָפַר ḥ-p-r, 'to dig'), with the definite article הַ (ha-) inserted before the second element. The resulting compound means 'the winepress of Hepher.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

גַּת־הַחֵפֶר appears as a town in the territory of Zebulun in Joshua 19:13 and is noted as the home of the prophet Jonah in 2 Kings 14:25. The compound construction with the definite article (הַ) is an example of a geographic name formed with a possessive or descriptive phrase. Such names often indicated ownership, association with a clan, or a physical/geographic feature; in this case, it is uncertain whether Hepher refers to a personal or clan name. English translations typically render the name as 'Gath-hepher,' 'Gath-ha-chepher,' or phonetically as 'Gittah-kephr.' In later tradition, the site came to be associated with prophetic heritage and is sometimes identified with sites in the Galilee archaeological record. The phrase is not used for religious, ethnic, or geographical identities outside its function as a place name.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (abridged) גִּתָּה־חֵפֶר; from גַּת and חָפַר with the article inserted; wine-press of (the) well; Gath-Chepher, a place in Palestine; Gath-kephr, Gittah-kephr.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

גת-חפר (g-t ḥ-p-r) — to press (wine), to dig, to excavate

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1662-01 חֵ֖פֶר chefer HNp Hepher Digging-one Gat Hachefer 1
H1662-02 גִּתָּ֥/ה gitah HNp/Sd Gath Winepress of Hepher Gat Hachefer 1
H1662-04 מִ/גַּ֥ת migat HR/Np from Gath from Winepress-of-Hepher from Gat Hachefer 1
H1662-03 הַחֵֽפֶר hachefer HNp hepher Winepress of Hepher Gat Hachefer 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1662-02 Joshua 19:13 גִּתָּ֥/ה gitah HNp/Sd Gath Winepress of Hepher Gat Hachefer
H1662-01 Joshua 19:13 חֵ֖פֶר chefer HNp Hepher Digging-one Gat Hachefer
H1662-04 2 Kings 14:25 מִ/גַּ֥ת migat HR/Np from Gath from Winepress-of-Hepher from Gat Hachefer
H1662-03 2 Kings 14:25 הַחֵֽפֶר hachefer HNp hepher Winepress of Hepher Gat Hachefer
← H1661 Hebrew Lexicon H1663 →