Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, March 28th, 2024
Maundy Thursday
There are 3 days til Easter!
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Bible Encyclopedias
Mephaath

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Search for…
or
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
Prev Entry
Mepeham, Simon
Next Entry
Mephibosheth
Resource Toolbox
Additional Links

[some Mepha'ath] (Hebrews Meypha'ath, מֵיפִעִת, prob. splendor; once defectively written מֵפִעִת . Joshua 13:18, and once [Kethib] מוֹפִעִת, Jeremiah 48:21; Sept. Μηφάαθ in Josh., Φαάθ v. r. Μαεφλά in Chron. And Μαφάς v. r. Μωφάθ in Jer.), a Levitical (Merarite) city (Joshua 21:37; 1 Chronicles 6:79) of the tribe of Reuben (Joshua 13:18), doubtless originally (like Heshbon, of which it formed a dependency) in the hands of the Amorites (Numbers 21:26), but afterwards belonging to Moab (Jeremiah 48:21); probably situated near Kedemoth and Jahazah, in connection with which it is always mentioned. Eusebius (Onomast.) calls it Mephath (Μηφάθ), and states that it was still occupied by a Roman garrison as a defence against the Arabs of the neighboring desert. As the name implies a conspicuous position, the site may possibly correspond with that of the modern village with ruins on an eminence marked as Umn el- Weled on Van de Velde's Map, east of Medeba. "The extended, and possibly later, form of the name which occurs in Chronicles and Jeremiah, as if Mey Phaath, waters of Phaath,' may be, as in other cases, an attempt to fix an intelligible meaning on an archaic or foreign word;" although the fuller form appears to be radical (so both Gesenius and Ftirst, from

יָפִע, to glitter, be eminent).

Bibliography Information
McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Mephaath'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​tce/​m/mephaath.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
adsFree icon
Ads FreeProfile