Places in the Bible Today:

Hepher

Data

Translated NameHepher
Typesettlement
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

3 Possible Identifications

  1. Tell el Muhaffar (modern): 50% confidence
    1. satellite view of the region around Tell el MuhaffarTell el Muhaffar

  2. Tel Hefer (modern): 20% confidence
    1. satellite view of the region around Tel HeferTel Hefer

  3. Tel Dotan (modern): less than 10% confidence
    1. ruins at Tel DotanTel Dotan

Verses (2)

Josh-Ruth (1)
Josh 12:17
1Sam-Esth (1)
1Kgs 4:10

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Biblemapper.com505
Logos FactbookHepher (village)
OpenBible.info (2007)Hepher
OpenBible.infoa2ebe1c (Hepher)
TIPNRHepher@Jos.12.17
UBS Names Databaseot ID_1115
WikipediaHepher (biblical place) (redirect)

Sources

  1. Aharoni, Land of the Bible (1979): page 436
  2. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Hepher (place)
  3. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Hepher
  4. Baly, The Geography of the Bible (1974): page 130
  5. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Hepher (place)
  6. ESV Bible Atlas (2010)
  7. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Hepher
  8. Hammond Atlas of the Bible Lands (2007): Hepher
  9. HarperCollins Concise Atlas of the Bible (1991)
  10. Hess, Joshua (1996): table 4
  11. Holman Illustrated Guide to Bible Geography (2020): page 168
  12. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Hepher
  13. IVP Old Testament Bible Background Commentary (2000): Josh 12:17; 1Kgs 4:8-19
  14. Monson, Regions on the Run (2009): map 5
  15. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988): Hepher
  16. Oxford Bible Atlas, Fourth Edition (2007)
  17. Reader’s Digest Atlas of the Bible (1981): Hepher
  18. Tübingen Bible Atlas (2001): Hefer
  19. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Hepher
  20. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010)
  21. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  22. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): Josh 12:17

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others, for example, then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019, Netanel h

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.