Ophrah

In Bible versions:

Ophrah: NET AVS NIV NRSV NASB TEV

a town of Benjamin on the border of Ephraim, 4 km ENE of Bethel
a town of Manasseh, possibly 7 km NW of Jezreel
son of Meonothai of Judah

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dust; lead; a fawn

Google Maps: Ophrah (1) (31° 57´, 35° 17´); Ophrah (2) (32° 36´, 35° 17´)

Hebrew

Strongs #06084: hrpe `Ophrah

Ophrah = "fawn"

n pr m
1) a Judaite, son of Meonothai

n pr loc
2) a town of Benjamin approximately 5 miles (8 km) east of Bethel
3) a place in Manasseh, native place of Gideon; probably located
close to Shechem

6084 `Ophrah of-raw'

feminine of 6082; female fawn; Ophrah, the name of an
Israelite and of two places in Palestine:-Ophrah.
see HEBREW for 06082

Ophrah [EBD]

a fawn. 1 Chr. 4:14. (1.) A city of Benjamin (Josh. 18:23); probably identical with Ephron (2 Chr. 13:19) and Ephraim (John 11:54).

(2.) "Of the Abi-ezrites." A city of Manasseh, 6 miles south-west of Shechem, the residence of Gideon (Judg. 6:11; 8:27, 32). After his great victory over the Midianites, he slew at this place the captive kings (8:18-21). He then assumed the function of high priest, and sought to make Ophrah what Shiloh should have been. This thing "became a snare" to Gideon and his house. After Gideon's death his family resided here till they were put to death by Abimelech (Judg. 9:5). It is identified with Ferata.

Ophrah [NAVE]

OPHRAH
1. A city in Benjamin, Josh. 18:23; 1 Sam. 13:17.
Possibly identical with Ephrain, 2 Chr. 13:19; and Ephraim, John 11:54.
2. A city in Manasseh, home of Gideon, Judg. 6:11, 24; 8:27, 32; 9:5.
3. Son of Meonothai, 1 Chr. 4:14.

OPHRAH [SMITH]

(fawn).

1. A town in the tribe of Benjamin. (Joshua 18:23; 1 Samuel 13:17) Jerome places it five miles east of Bethel. It is perhaps et-Taiyibeh , a small village on the crown of a conspicuous hill, four miles east-northeast of Beitin (Bethel).
2. More fully, OPHRAH OF THE ABIEZRITES, the native place of Gideon (Judges 6:11) and the scene of his exploits against Baal, ver. (Judges 6:24) his residence after his accession to power ch. (Judges 9:5) and the place of his burial in the family sepulchre. ch. (Judges 8:32) It was probably In Manasseh, ch. (Judges 6:15) and not far distant from Shechem, (Judges 9:1,5)
3. The son of Meonothai. (1 Chronicles 4:14)

OPHRAH [ISBE]

OPHRAH - of'-ra (`ophrah; Codex Vaticanus Aphra; Codex Alexandrinus Iephratha, etc.):

(1) A town in the territory allotted to Benjamin named between Parah and Chephar-ammoni (Josh 18:23). It is mentioned again in 1 Sam 13:17. The Philistines who were encamped at Michmash sent out marauding bands, one of which went westward, another eastward, down "the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness"; the third "turned unto the way that leadeth to Ophrah, unto the land of Shual." This must have been northward, as Saul commanded the passage to the South. Eusebius, Onomasticon places it 5 Roman miles East of Bethel. A site which comes near to fulfilling these conditions is eT-Taiyebeh, which stands on a conical hill some 5 miles Northeast of Beitin. This is possibly identical with "Ephron" (2 Ch 13:19), and "Ephraim" (Jn. 11:54).

(2) A city in the tribal lot of Manasseh West of Jordan. It is mentioned only in connection with Gideon, whose native place it was, and with his son Abimelech (Jdg 6:11, etc.). It was, indeed, family property, belonging to Joash the Abiezrite, the father of Gideon. It was apparently not far from the plain of Esdraelon (Jdg 6:33 f), so that Gideon and his kinsmen smarted under the near presence of the oppressing Midianites. Manasseh, of course, as bordering on the southern edge of the plain, was in close touch with the invaders. At Ophrah, Gideon reared his altar to Yahweh, and made thorough cleansing of the instruments of idolatry. After his great victory, he set up here the golden ephod made from the spoils of the enemy, which proved a snare to himself and to his house (Jdg 8:27). Here he was finally laid to rest. It was at Ophrah that Abimelech, aspiring to the kingdom, put to death upon one stone three score and ten of his brethren, as possible rivals, Jotham alone escaping alive (Jdg 9:5). Apparently the mother of Abimelech belonged to Shechem; this established a relationship with that town, his connection with which does not therefore mean that Ophrah was near it.

No quite satisfactory identification has yet been suggested. Conder (PEFS, 1876, 1971) quotes the Samaritan Chronicle as identifying Ferata, which is 6 miles West of Nablus, with an ancient Ophra, "and the one that suggests itself as most probably identical is Ophrah of the Abiezerite." But this seems too far to the South.

(3) A man of the tribe of Judah, son of Meonothai (1 Ch 4:14).

W. Ewing