(Heb. Che'pher, חֵפֶר, a well, or shame; Sept. ῎Οφέρ or ῎Οφέρ, ῎Εφερ and Ἀφέρ, but ᾿Ηφάλ in 1 Chronicles 1:6), the name of a city and of three men. (See GATH-HEPHER).
1. A royal city of the Canaanites captured by Joshua (Joshua 12:17); probably the same district as "the land of Hepher," in the vicinity of Sochoh and Aruboth, assigned to Ben-Hesed, one of Solomon's table- purveyors (1 Kings 4:10). The locality thus indicated would seem to be in the vicinity of Um-Burj, south of Suweicheh.
2. The youngest son of Gilead, and great-grandson of Manasseh (Numbers 26:32). He was the father of Zelophehad (Numbers 27:1; Joshua 17:2-3), and his descendants are called HEPHERITES (Numbers 26:32). B.C. ante 1618.
3. The second son of Ashur (a descendant of Judah) by one of his wives, Naarah (1 Chronicles 4:6). B.C. cir. 1612.
4. A Mecherathite, one of David's heroes, according to 1 Chronicles 11:36; but the text is apparently corrupt, so that this name is either an interpolation, or identical with the ELIPHALET of 2 Samuel 23:34. See UR.