מוֹפַעַת
𐤌𐤅𐤐𐤏𐤕
Mofaat
H4158 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun designating a town in the territory allocated to the tribe of Reuben, situated east of the Jordan River. Its primary lexical meaning is as a toponym, 'Mephaath.' The name derives from a root pertaining to brightness or shining, and, in context, the town was likely known for some distinctive feature related to illumination or a prominent appearance. The word is attested exclusively as a place-name in biblical texts.
Semantic Range
Mephaath (a Transjordanian town), Levitical city, place-name; does not occur with a common noun meaning in the Hebrew Bible
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root יפע (y-p-ʿ), meaning 'to shine, be prominent, be splendid.' The form מוֹפַעַת (Môwphaʻath) is a feminized noun used as a toponym, possibly referring originally to 'the shining place' or 'prominent place,' though in scriptural usage it functions solely as a geographical name. The various forms (מוֹפַעַת, מֵיפַעַת, מֵפַעַת) reflect textual variants.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Mephaath appears in the Hebrew Bible as a city associated with the tribe of Reuben (Joshua 13:18; Jeremiah 48:21; 1 Chronicles 6:79 [6:64 MT]), and it was later designated as a Levitical city. Its location is debated among scholars but placed generally on the Moabite plateau east of the Dead Sea. In later historical periods, references to Mephaath continued mainly within administrative or genealogical lists; its precise historical or cultic significance is obscure. English translations render the name as 'Mephaath,' transliterating rather than interpreting its underlying meaning. The semantic nuance suggested by the root ('shining, prominent') is not reflected in the English rendering nor in the biblical usage, which is always as a place-name. The alternate spellings found in manuscripts and translations (e.g., Mephaath, Mophaath) reflect variations in vocalization and possibly scribal transmission, not separate places. The root יפע does not convey an ethnic, religious, or sociopolitical identity but solely supports the toponym.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Jeremiah 48:21) or מֵיפַעַת; or מֵפַעַת; from יָפַע; illuminative; Mophaath or Mephaath, a place in Palestine; Mephaath.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
יפע (y-p-ʿ) — to shine, be prominent, exhibit splendor
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3309 | יָפִיעַ | and He-Shines-Forth |
| H3313 | יָפַע | you caused to shine |
| H3314 | יִפְעָה | your radiance |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4158-01 |
מֵיפָ֖עַת | meyfaat | HNp |
Mephaath | Shining Place | 3 |
H4158-03 |
וּ/מֵפָֽעַת | umefaat | HC/Np |
and Mephaath | and Shining-Place | 1 |
H4158-02 |
מופעת | mvft | HNp |
Mephaath | Shining Place (Mephaath) | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4158-03 |
Joshua 13:18 | וּ/מֵפָֽעַת | umefaat | HC/Np |
and Mephaath | and Shining-Place |
H4158-01 |
Joshua 21:37 | מֵיפָ֖עַת | meyfaat | HNp |
Mephaath | Shining Place |
H4158-02 |
Jeremiah 48:21 | מופעת | mvft | HNp |
Mephaath | Shining Place (Mephaath) |
H4158-01 |
Jeremiah 48:21 | מֵיפָֽעַת | meyfaat | HNp |
Mephaath | Shining Place |
H4158-01 |
1 Chronicles 6:64 | מֵיפַ֖עַת | meyfaat | HNp |
Mephaath | Shining Place |