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חֲפָרַיִם

𐤇𐤐𐤓𐤉𐤌

Chafarayim

H2663 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חפר to dig, to search, to excavate

Definition

A place name meaning 'Double Pit' or 'Two Pits,' referring to a locality in the territory assigned to the tribe of Ephraim. The term's primary lexical meaning is that of a location characterized by the presence of double pits, depressions, or maybe wells/trenches, as reflected in the dual form. Usage in Hebrew Bible limited to topographical designation.

Semantic Range

name of a locality, dual form signifying 'double pit' or 'two pits,' potentially referencing double excavations, wells, or depressions in the landscape

Root / Etymology

From the root חפר (ḥ-p-r), 'to dig; to search; to excavate,' in its dual noun form, yielding the meaning 'Double Pit' or 'Two Pits.' The name likely refers to the physical characteristics of the locale.

Historical & Contextual Notes

חֲפָרַיִם (Chapharayim) appears only in Joshua 19:19 as a town allocated to the tribe of Ephraim during the settlement period. The dual form (indicated by -ַיִם) is atypical for city names, implying a locale defined by natural or artificial double features like twin pits or cavities, most plausibly for water or defense. The singular noun חֵפֶר (ḥēfer) means 'pit,' 'well,' or 'excavation,' and is also used as a proper name. This place name is not otherwise attested in extrabiblical contexts, and its exact location is uncertain. Later translations using 'Haphraim' derive from the Septuagint's adaptation but may obscure the meaning rooted in Hebrew topographical nomenclature. There is no evidence that the population had distinctive ethnic or religious identity terminology beyond 'Ephraimite' or 'Israelite' in the relevant period.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

dual of חֵפֶר; double pit; Chapharajim, a place in Palestine; Haphraim.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חפר (ḥ-p-r) — to dig, to search, to excavate

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1662 גַּת־הַחֵפֶר Digging-one
H2658 חָפַר he dug
H2659 חָפֵר she was ashamed
H2660 חֵפֶר Digging-One
H2661 חֲפֹר to dig

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2663-01 וַ/חֲפָרַ֥יִם vachafarayim HC/Np and Hapharaim and Two Pits 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2663-01 Joshua 19:19 וַ/חֲפָרַ֥יִם vachafarayim HC/Np and Hapharaim and Two Pits
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