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חֵפֶר

𐤇𐤐𐤓

Chefer

H2660 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חפר to dig, to search, to scoop out

Definition

Proper noun used as a personal name and a place name in the Hebrew Bible. As a personal name, Hepher refers to several Israelite individuals. As a place name, it designates a town or district in the Cisjordan region, likely in the territory of Manasseh. The lexical meaning of the word is derived from the underlying root, connected to the sense of 'pit' or 'digging', though the proper noun typically functions without reference to this meaning in most contexts. The semantic range in the biblical text encompasses both persons and geographic location.

Semantic Range

proper name of individuals, proper place name; figurative or literal association with 'pit' is theoretical and not directly attested in its actual biblical use

Root / Etymology

From the root חפר, meaning 'to dig' or 'to search.' The form חֵפֶר (Hepher) structurally resembles a noun form meaning 'pit,' but, as a proper noun, the literal sense is largely obscured in usage. See also the roots חָפַר (to dig, to search) and חָפֵר (to be ashamed), which are related by morphology but differentiated by sense.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In narrative and genealogical contexts, חֵפֶר (Hepher) is found as the name of: 1) a descendant of Gilead (Num 26:32; Josh 17:2), 2) an Asherite (1 Chr 4:6), and 3) the father of Zelophehad (Num 26:33). The place name Hepher is usually associated with a location in the territory allocated to Manasseh (Josh 17:2; 1 Kgs 4:10), sometimes identified as 'the land of Hepher.' In translation tradition, 'Hepher' is often simply transliterated with no attempt to convey the possible underlying meaning. The association with shame (from חָפֵר 'to be ashamed') found in Strong's gloss is speculative and does not align with established lexicographical analysis; 'pit' or 'hole' is more linguistically defensible based on the root. As a proper noun, any supposed emotional or moral connotation is almost entirely lost in attested biblical usage. The name has no clear association with ethnic, geographic, or religious identity beyond standard Israelite usage. There is no evidence of the later English term 'Jew' being applicable for periods related to this term.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָפַר or חָפֵר; a pit of shame; Chepher, a place in Palestine; also the name of three Israelites; Hepher.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חפר (ḥ-p-r) — to dig, to search, to scoop out

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1662 גַּת־הַחֵפֶר Digging-one
H2658 חָפַר he dug
H2659 חָפֵר she was ashamed
H2661 חֲפֹר to dig
H2662 חֶפְרִי the Chepherite

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2660-01 חֵ֗פֶר chefer HNp Hepher Digging-One 8
H2660-02 וְ/חֵ֕פֶר vechefer HC/Np and of Hepher and Hepher 1

Occurrences in Scripture

9 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2660-02 Numbers 26:32 וְ/חֵ֕פֶר vechefer HC/Np and of Hepher and Hepher
H2660-01 Numbers 26:33 חֵ֗פֶר chefer HNp Hepher Digging-One
H2660-01 Numbers 27:1 חֵ֤פֶר chefer HNp of Hepher Digging-One
H2660-01 Joshua 12:17 חֵ֖פֶר chefer HNp of Hepher Digging-One
H2660-01 Joshua 17:2 חֵ֖פֶר chefer HNp Hepher Digging-One
H2660-01 Joshua 17:3 חֵ֨פֶר chefer HNp Hepher Digging-One
H2660-01 1 Kings 4:10 חֵֽפֶר chefer HNp Hepher Digging-One
H2660-01 1 Chronicles 4:6 חֵ֔פֶר chefer HNp Hepher Digging-One
H2660-01 1 Chronicles 11:36 חֵ֚פֶר chefer HNp Hepher Digging-One
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