HEPHER

(Heʹpher).

[1-3: He Has Searched Out]

1. A son of Gilead and great-grandson of Manasseh; ancestor of the Hepherites. (Nu 26:29, 30, 32; 27:1) Hepher was the father of Zelophehad, known for having no sons but five daughters whose case set a legal precedent in handling hereditary possessions when there was no male offspring.​—Nu 26:33; 27:1-11; Jos 17:2, 3.

2. A descendant of Judah; son of Ashhur by his wife Naarah.​—1Ch 4:1, 5, 6.

3. A Mecherathite; one of David’s outstanding warriors.​—1Ch 11:26, 36.

4. [Digging [that is, a waterpit]]. Apparently both a city and a district W of the Jordan. The king of the Canaanite city of Hepher was among those defeated by Joshua. (Jos 12:7, 8, 17) In the time of Solomon, the district of Hepher, as well as Socoh, were under the jurisdiction of an appointed deputy. (1Ki 4:7, 10) The exact location of ancient Hepher is not definitely known. Some suggest identifying it with Tell el-Ifshar (Tel Hefer), about 40 km (25 mi) NNE of Tel Aviv-Yafo.