Zarephath
Zarephath is an ancient city mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments, located in the region of Phoenicia in modern-day Lebanon. Known today as Sarepta. It appears across 4 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Zarephath is one of the most theologically significant Phoenician cities in the biblical canon, appearing in both Old and New Testaments as a symbol of divine grace extended beyond Israel's borders. Located between Sidon and Tyre on the Lebanese coast, Zarephath is first introduced in 1 Kings 17:9–24, where the prophet Elijah is sent by God to a widow living there during a severe drought and famine. The miracle of the inexhaustible jar of flour and jug of oil, as well as the resurrection of the widow's son, took place in this Gentile city. This remarkable episode demonstrates that God's providential care and miraculous power were not confined to the land of Israel. Centuries later, Jesus cited the Zarephath story in his sermon at Nazareth (Luke 4:26), noting that God had sent Elijah to a widow in Zarephath of Sidon rather than to any widow in Israel — a pointed comment on divine sovereign grace that so enraged his audience that they attempted to kill him. The prophet Obadiah (verse 20) also mentions Zarephath as a territorial marker in his vision of the restored Israel.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Zarephath is securely identified with modern Sarafand (ancient Sarepta) on the Lebanese coast between Sidon and Tyre, approximately 13 kilometers south of Sidon. Systematic excavations led by James Pritchard of the University of Pennsylvania in the 1970s uncovered a prosperous Phoenician city with evidence of industrial-scale production of purple dye and ceramics. A small shrine yielded a remarkable ivory figurine of a woman nursing an infant, interpreted as a votive offering. Occupation levels span the Late Bronze Age through the Byzantine period, with particularly rich Iron Age Phoenician remains. The site is one of the best-excavated Phoenician coastal settlements and confirms the historical reliability of the biblical portrait of Zarephath as a functioning city in Elijah's era.
Verse Appearances (4)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →